"Victory in Europe, May 8, 1945." Topic

I was 8 years old, and very depressed. They beat the Germans before I had a chance to get into the war.

Also, no one continued to save newspapers for me one day, and flattened, washed-out tin cans the next, for me to haul up to the junk man to recycle for the war effort. No more nickles (5 cent US coin) as a reward, allowing me to add a lead soldier to my personal army!

But the surrender of Japan in August, 1945, was the absolute end of my future. With the Bomb, no one would ever need a man with a rifle again!

GdeP

8 May 1945 (75th anniversary) Victory in Europe (VE) Day!

This day was always celebrated in my home growing up, my dad was on the Elbe River 75 years ago as part of the 119th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. He would put the US flag out and drink a toast to all his buddies lost in the war.

My dad (SGT John Torok) and his dad after his return from WWII.

I've created a special post on my blog to commemorate today: link

To all our veterans, past, present, and future, thanks for your service and scrifice!

Jim (US Army, retired)

I just witnessed the memorial flyover by the CAF B-17, B-25 and C-47 in Phoenix Arizona. The first point they flew over was the Mesa Cemetery where 23 RAF pilots and one US pilot killed during flight training at Falcon Field are buried.

What a great pic torokchar, thanks for sharing. My dad also fought in WW II. I only have one picture of him in his uniform (long story). It really is almost inconceivable to picture him as a combat soldier. When they came home they put their uniforms away and resumed a "normal" life. Like many who before and since have seen war they were not likely to talk about it other than perhaps in private with buddies who had also experienced it.

I have a surviving photo of my Dad, his father, three
of my uncles and an aunt (WAVES) all in uniform,
G'dad in his WWI uniform.

It was taken Memorial Day, 1946, just before the
hometown parade.

My poor grandfather (4F), all 5 of his brothers served (3 in Europe, 2 in the Pacific). He wasn't able to. Read today that VE Day is now a holiday in Germany.

My Dad was about to turn 16 when the war ended – his older brother was a corporal and a Bren gunner and my mom's older brother was an RCAF Spitfire pilot/instructor

This is an official picture of my late dad on board HMS Gazelle at Wallasy in 1943

He is the little dot on the left bridge wing!

A momentous day, may we never see the like again. Luckily my parents were war-babies, although both my grandfathers served (Lancaster navigator & RA gunner respectively), & 2 grand-uncles served & died together in the North African campaign. I have no photographs.
For our golden generation RIP.