WWII Vets Gather for Memorial Dedication

[Phantom Blooper]

May 29, 2004 02:53 PM EDT


WASHINGTON - America dedicated a memorial Saturday to the fast-thinning ranks of World War II veterans, a poignant last hurrah drawing together tens of thousands of old soldiers, sailors and heroes of the home front.

Frail now, full of spunk then, they were thanked for service that "helped save the world."

The National Mall, where huge numbers usually gather in protest, instead offered a last-of-a-lifetime scene of commemoration as veterans assembled by the sweeping monument of granite and bronze that was more than a decade in the planning.

"We have kept faith with our comrades from a distant youth," said former Sen. Bob Dole, a driving force for the memorial. An Army lieutenant in the war, Dole lost the use of his right arm when a shell hit him while he served in Italy.

"What we dedicate today is not a memorial to war. Rather it is a tribute to the physical and moral courage that makes heroes out of farm and city boys, that inspires Americans of every generation to lay down their lives for people they'll never meet," Dole told a crowd estimated at 140,000 by police.

Many veterans gripped canes. Others sat in wheelchairs. The hardiest among them grabbed their wives and danced in the aisles when 1940s swing music wafted over the crowd. Young people came up to old people and said thanks.

"I figured this would be the last time to wear a uniform," said William E. Ryan, 80, a retired colonel from Fairfax, Va., who fought in France and Germany with the Army's 3rd Infantry. He was in full-dress whites, a Purple Heart among his chest decorations.

Covering seven landscaped acres, the World War II Memorial was built with a sense of urgency once Washington resolved to go ahead with it. Veterans are in their late 70s and in their 80s. Of the 16 million who served, only about 4 million are still alive and veterans from that war are dying at a rate of 1,056 a day.

"These were the modest sons of a peaceful country," said President Bush. "They gave the best years of their lives to the greatest mission their country ever accepted."

Many veterans lamented that the nation's tribute came too late for their comrades.

"I wish they would have done it much sooner because there's a lot of people from that generation who are gone," said Don LaFond, 81, a Marine Corps veteran from Marina del Rey, Calif.

Dole, 80, called the gathering "our final reunion."

Cool temperatures and bright sunshine greeted the dedication, a relief to emergency crews prepared for large numbers of medical problems. Authorities said they treated about 20 people, some for dehydration, in advance of the dedication.

At a morning service at Washington National Cathedral, a few miles north of the Mall, dignitaries spoke of celebration and thanksgiving.

Former President George Bush, a Navy pilot shot down over the South Pacific in 1944, said the World War II generation was remarkable for the challenges it faced, but that Americans today, as in any point of history, can rise to the same level of commitment.

"These were average men and women who lived in extraordinary times," said Bush, who turns 80 on June 12. "No matter the danger or hardship, they responded with exceptional bravery." Singling out the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, he paid tribute to the millions of fighters who "helped save the world."

Retired Gen. John W. Vessey Jr., former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the monument was built to recognize the defining event of the 20th century. He, too, took note of the passing of so many veterans.

"We the World War II generation are thinning both in our hairlines and our ranks," he said, "and probably everywhere but our waistlines."

Coast Guardsman Wilbert Huebner, 84, of Readlyn, Iowa, spent two years on the destroyer USS Lansing, sailing off North Africa and Europe. "So many are gone and for those of us who are still alive, some can no longer travel because they have medical problems," he said.

Raymond Veley, 80, of Marysville, Ohio, fought in Italy with the Army and spent 17 months as a POW. Running into other ex-prisoners in Washington was a powerful experience, he said, because "we all know what the other one went through."

Bush and his Democratic presidential opponent, Vietnam veteran John Kerry, used their weekly radio addresses hours before the ceremony to praise the service of those honored.

Kerry said of World War II veterans: "Because of them, liberty did not perish from this Earth. When the future hung in the balance, they stood on the edge of tyranny and devastation and risked their lives for a future and a hope bigger than themselves."

The president, born a year after the war ended, concluded his speech by asking "every man and woman who saw and lived World War II, every member of that generation, to please rise as you are able and receive the thanks of our great nation."

They rose slowly, as they were able, some in tears, American flags in their hand or tucked into camera straps.

The idea for the memorial came nearly two decades ago, but it was only in 1993 that Congress authorized construction. Critics complained its large-scale design would spoil the vistas long enjoyed by visitors to the Mall. Courts eventually rejected the challenge.

The memorial features 56 granite pillars, each 17 feet high and representing the states, territories of that time and the District of Columbia, and two arches more than twice that height - Atlantic and Pacific - symbolizing the two theaters of the war. A wall with 4,000 sculpted gold stars commemorates the more than 400,000 Americans killed.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Associated Press writers Jennifer C. Kerr, Adam Ashton and Candace Smith contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

National World War II Memorial: http://www.wwiimemorial.com

Video of the WWII memorial is available at: http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/files/specials/interactives/wwii_memorial/i ndex.html

[thedrifter]

Memories of WWII set in stone
Generation of heroes gathers in D.C. to honor war sacrifices

By ANN McFEATTERS
BLADE WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF


WASHINGTON - It was a gathering like no other. Under clear, sunny skies and with blessedly mild temperatures, thousands of World War II veterans proudly stood to receive the thanks of their country at the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall.

Fifty-nine years after the end of the war, which took the lives of 407,000 Americans in uniform and 50 million civilians around the world, President Bush said the memorial honoring an entire generation of Americans who showed the finest qualities of their nation and humanity will "stand as long as America itself."

Edward Allen, 80, of North Olmsted, Ohio, took his place in the sea of 117,000 folding chairs and as many as 30,000 more in unticketed areas. He was shot down over the North Sea and spent two years as a prisoner of war, freed on May 5, 1945. Yesterday, he said with tears in his eyes, "This is a wonderful country, with great, great people."

Wearing his "Barb-Wire Buckeyes" ex-POW jacket, he gazed at the towering water fountains, pavilions, pillars, and 4,000 gold stars - each representing 100 Americans who died - that constitute the $175 million memorial, built from the contributions of 600,000 Americans. "This is the biggest crowd of World War II veterans we'll ever see," he crowed.

After musicians played swing music from the big-band era, drawing some couples to their feet, after volunteers passed out thousands of bottles of water, after buses unloaded thousands of veterans and their families wearing blue laminated tickets around their necks as they went through security checkpoints and bought $7 turkey sandwiches, the speeches began.

He brought tears to many eyes as he called the dedication "our final reunion." He said, "What we dedicate today is not a memorial to war. Rather it is a tribute to the physical and moral courage that makes heroes out of farm and city boys, that inspires Americans of every generation to lay down their lives for people they'll never meet."

Former Kansas senator Bob Dole, 80, who lost most of the use of his right arm serving in Italy during World War II and was national chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign, joked that when he ran unsuccessfully for president in 1996, "I never had a crowd like this."

He reminded the audience that a new generation of Americans is now serving the cause of liberty for people they do not know in faraway lands.

From the time World War II veteran Roger Durbin of Toledo told U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) that there should be a World War II Memorial in Washington, it took 17 years to materialize. Mr. Durbin died in 2000, but his granddaughter, Melissa Growden, was on the podium with Miss Kaptur, the first speaker of the two-hour ceremony.

Miss Kaptur said soil from 16 cemeteries abroad and from Arlington National Cemetery was placed at the memorial site to sanctify it. "What a privilege it has been to carry this dream forward for 17 years," she exulted.

P.X. Kelley, the retired Marine Corps general who runs the American Battle Monuments Commission, which organized the dedication ceremony, said as he gazed out over the veterans, "It's one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen in our nation's capital. All I can think of is, 'God bless America.' "

There are only 4.2 million veterans left out of 16 million, and they are dying at an average of 1,058 a day. The veterans who were in Washington yesterday, some in wheelchairs or using canes, expressed gratitude for being there but also sorrow for comrades who died or were physically unable to come.

The memorial is long overdue, said many. Ray Sodden, who now serves in the Illinois state Senate and proudly wore his VFW Post 2149 hat, said his joy at being on the National Mall was tempered by the realization that many could not come. "I'm saddened for those who were not able to make it," he said.

Rolling Thunder, a group of motorcyclists who served in the Vietnam War and ride to Washington D.C. every Memorial Day weekend to prod the nation into remembering the missing in action and prisoners of war, mingled cheerfully and often emotionally with the World War II veterans. Their motto is: "All gave some; some gave all."

Steve Henderson, 56, of Columbus, and his best friend, Gary Mizer, also 56 from Lebanon, rode from Ohio through rain and wind for their fourth Memorial Day weekend in Washington. They said this year was special because of the dedication. "It's about time those in the real war got this memorial," Mr. Henderson said. "Just as our granite [the Vietnam Memorial, dedicated 20 years ago] means a lot to us, this memorial will mean a lot to them. But it's sad so many can't come."

NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw, whose book, The Greatest Generation, has come to define the World War II era, told the veterans that some disagree with his term but he insists it is right because the World War II generation went through the Depression, fought the war, refused to take revenge but rebuilt Europe, and came home to turn America into a modern, prosperous nation.

Actor Tom Hanks, whose movie Saving Private Ryan gave many veterans the nudge they needed to begin talking about their war experiences, served as spokesman for the memorial campaign. Mr. Hanks said the nation must remember not just those who served and died, but all those who aided the warin whatever way they could. "It is no embellishment to say their lives were interrupted. Every minute of their youth was burdened with fear, loss, and uncertainty," Mr. Hanks said.

Mr. Bush, who officially accepted the memorial on behalf of the American people, said that raising the memorial took skill, vision, and patience and that "it is a fitting tribute, open and expansive like America, grand and enduring like the achievements we honor."

Mr. Bush said, "This was a people's war, and everyone was in it."

Mr. Bush lauded Franklin Roosevelt, the war-time president who directed the mammoth undertaking of preparing for war and then war itself because "his resolve was stronger than the will of any dictator. His belief in democracy was absolute."

Former Presidents Clinton and George H.W. Bush were on the dais but did not speak.

There were few dry eyes as Taps pierced the sudden silence and as opera singer Denyce Graves sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America." Overhead, Air Force planes flew the missing-man formation.

As veterans began streaming for their buses, many said they were especially thrilled and gratified by something Mr. Bush said: "They gave the best years of their lives to the greatest mission their country ever accepted. ... They saved our country and thereby saved the liberty of mankind."

Mr. Bush said that all over America on this Memorial Day weekend, the graves of those who perished in the war will be visited and decorated with flags and flowers. "Men whose step has slowed are thinking of boys they knew when they were boys together. And women who watched the train leave and the years pass can still see the handsome face of their young sweetheart. America will not forget them either."

"And now I ask every man and woman who saw and lived World War II, every member of that generation, to please rise, as you are able, and receive the thanks of our great nation."

Mr. Allen, the ex-prisoner of war who remembers World War II as if it were yesterday but has trouble remembering his age, looked over the sea of people and began to grow worried about the traffic jam at the ceremony's end. "Don't worry," said his son, Tom. "I'll take care of it. We'll be fine. Just enjoy your day."

Contact Ann McFeatters at: amcfeatters@nationalpress.com or 202-662-7071.

http://toimages.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TO&Date=20040530&Category=NEWS08&ArtNo=405300399&Ref=AR&MaxW=240

The National Mall in Washington was filled with thousands of veterans for the dedication of the World War II Memorial.
( ASSOCIATED PRESS )


http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040530/NEWS08/405300399/0/NEWS


Ellie

[thedrifter]

World War II memorial prompts veterans to recall days of fear, heroism


By Tom Webb, Knight Ridder
European edition, Saturday, May 29, 2004



WASHINGTON - Time has thinned their ranks. Many are too old to travel. And even the hardiest of World War II veterans are slowed by aches and pains.

So on this Memorial Day weekend, the nation is keenly aware that it's summoning together "the Greatest Generation" for probably the final time, as it dedicates the National World War II Memorial in the heart of the nation's capital.

"I look at it as a memorial to this nation, because everyone was involved," said Robert E. Hansen, 78, a Navy veteran from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. "And I think it's to honor those who didn't come home, like my brother. That's what's in the hearts and souls of most World War II men."

The stately memorial of granite and bronze sits in a spectacular setting in Washington, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Scores of Minnesota's WWII vets are traveling to Washington this weekend for the ceremonies, but many more cannot, simply because the decades have finally caught up with them.

"I'd come out, but I'm having trouble walking," said Charles Lindberg, 83, a Marine Corps veteran who lives in Richfield, Minn.

And yet, the memorial reminds America of the immense sacrifice, the heroism and the national resolve of a generation that won the war, saved the world and then rebuilt it better than before. Lindberg spent World War II fighting his way across the Pacific: On Guadalcanal, on Bougainville, and then to Iwo Jima.

"It was a slaughter, is what it was," he said about Iwo Jima, where more than 26,000 Americans were killed or wounded. Yet through that hell, Americans battled to victory - and Lindberg and five other Marines triumphantly raised the first American flag on Mount Suribachi.

"When that flag went up, the troops down below started to cheer, and the ships' whistles started going off," he said. The celebration was short-lived: "It didn't last too long, because the enemy started coming out of the caves." (Hours later, the famous photograph was taken, with different Marines and a larger flag).

Mike Colalillo, 78, an Army veteran in Duluth, Minn., was still in his teens as he fought his way across Germany. "It was a rough time, and I was scared," he said. "But I had to do what I had to do."

What he did, near Untergriesheim, Germany, is Army legend. After being pinned down by fierce German fire, U.S. light tanks began advancing, and Colalillo shouted to his buddies to join them. Quickly, Colalillo's gun was wrecked by shrapnel. "That's when I jumped on the tank, and he (the tank commander) said, `Use my machine gun up there.'"

Standing exposed on top of an advancing U.S. tank, Colalillo destroyed a German machine gun nest, silenced at least 10 enemy soldiers and blasted away at three other German positions until the enemy fled. When the machine gun ran out of ammunition, he grabbed a submachine gun and kept fighting.

After the battle finally ended, Colalillo spotted a friend who was wounded, and "I put him on my shoulders and carried him back."

For that astonishing feat, Colalillo was awarded the Medal of Honor - one of two surviving Minnesota WWII vets so honored. This week, he'll be in Washington for the memorial dedication.

Few can match the heroism of men like Colalillo and Lindberg. Yet all WWII vets have stories of sacrifice and purpose, as do their families. The memorial honors the 16 million men and women who served in the armed forces, as well as those on the home front - the women who worked in factories to produce the ships, planes and ammunition needed for victory; the Gold Star Mothers who lost a son; the children who held scrap drives and planted victory gardens; the millions who endured years of scarcity, rationing and worry.

President Franklin Roosevelt's words are inscribed to them: "They have given their sons to the military services. They have stoked the furnaces and hurried the factory wheels. They have made the planes and welded the tanks, riveted the ships and rolled the shells."

This Memorial Day is the time to remember and honor it all, as President Bush and a huge throng of aging veterans will gather at the memorial site this weekend.

Martin O. Weddington, 86, a Navy vet from St. Paul, Minn., is proud to make the trip to Washington. He served in a segregated military.

As a black man, he objected when he was ordered transferred to the Deep South in Biloxi, Miss. He wound up in San Diego instead and was serving there when the war ended.

"At that time, I was thinking - and I'm still thinking - how lucky I was," Weddington said. "I could have been one that got sent overseas and never made it back. That lingers in the back of your mind."

This week in Washington, Weddington will represent his district of the American Legion, which is honoring his service and paying for his trip. With quiet pride, he said, "That's saying something to me, that they would have that kind of confidence."

Bob Banchy, 78, a Navy vet in Mendota Heights, Minn., who enlisted at age 17, has a different take after visiting his share of war memorials.

"Our problem now is avoiding wars, and obviating the need for more memorials," he said. Banchy served on a supply ship in the Pacific and later saw the devastation in postwar Japan and China.

When he returned home to Gary, Ind., "I found out that 27 percent of my high school graduating class, the boys, were killed in service."

Colalillo, who was awarded the Medal of Honor, is not sure why it took six decades for the memorial to be built.

"I hope it's going to be wonderful," he said. "That thing should have been made years ago, when we were still young. We're all old now."

But after this weekend, the National World War II Memorial will stand in their place, an honored place, so future generations will remember.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=21618&archive=true


Ellie

[thedrifter]

America secures a place in time for WWII veterans; New York City tunes in to monumental event

Submitted by: New York City Public Affairs
Story Identification #: 200462151437
Story by Cpl. Clinton Firstbrook



NEW YORK(June 2, 2004) -- Nearly 59 years after the Second World War, the National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. Saturday. For the veterans who couldn’t make it to Washington, a ceremony was held in Manhattan’s Bryant Park to make sure everyone had an opportunity to see the unveiling.

Before the official dedication ceremony from Washington, attendees were taken back into the wartime era with live music and videos that told the story of the “Greatest Generation.”
“It feels nice to be recognized for what we did,” said Gloria Hess, Marine Corps World War II veteran. “I would’ve liked to attend the ceremony in Washington, but I couldn’t make it. Someday I’ll travel down and see it first hand.”

From the opening remarks, speakers talked about the accomplishments and the sacrifices this generation undertook to secure the freedom of others.

“The men and women of World War II were not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity, but in single obedience to duty as they understood it,” said Army Major Gen Richard Colt, dedication speaker. “They suffered, bared all, and died. To all veterans out there, and to all of you currently wearing the uniform, thank you for your service and sacrifice.”

Aside from the World War II veterans at the ceremony, many service members from the past and present attended to show their appreciation and honor the warriors of the past.

“I was in the Marine Corps from 1981 to 1984, so I have a huge affinity for the services,” said Clarice Joynes, Mayor’s Office of Veteran’s Affairs director. “I am also a daughter of a World War II veteran so today’s event is very near and dear to my heart. In New York City alone we have more than 90,000 World War II veterans in the five boroughs.”

Following the conclusion of the Bryant Park events, President Bush received the newly constructed memorial on behalf of the nation. The official dedication was broadcasted live from Washington D.C. and watched by the gathering in Bryant Park.

No matter how long the wall stands, the war will always live on in the hearts and minds of the veterans who served and their loved ones who waited anxiously for their return.

“I came here to honor my uncle who was killed in 1944 and the rest of my family who participated and was part of the greatest generation,” said Marine Corps veteran Vincent Gagliardi. “These guys are the ones who saved the world. God bless them all.”


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200462161432/$file/WWII%20ceremony1%20lowres.jpg


World War II veterans stand and salute their beloved national colors during the opening of the Bryant Park World War II Memorial Dedication ceremony Saturday. The official ceremony was actually held in Washington D.C., at the newly unveiled monument, but was televised through a live satellite feed so New Yorkers could witness the historic event. Photo by: Cpl. Glen R. Springstead

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/D804C19521E5BB3185256EA70069B561?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Honoring a generation of heroes
Submitted by: HQBn Henderson Hall
Story Identification #: 2004649287
Story by Cpl. Brian Buckwalter



WASHINGTON(June 3, 2004) -- Just between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial lies a bronze and granite tribute to a generation where 16 million served in America's armed forces. No longer is World War II a mere fading memory in the minds of those fading fast.

On May 29, President George W. Bush officially dedicated the World War II Memorial - one many veterans of that war thought they would never live to see.

"It's only been 60 years," said Lionel Spencer who served as Marine corporal during the war.

Even though most commented on the absence of a World War II memorial until now, all were appreciative.

"It means so much to me. We're getting away fast," said Olin Drummond a sergeant who served with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. "We buried two last Saturday who wanted to be here."

They are just two of more than a thousand World War II veterans who die every day. Only 5 million are still living. The youngest are in their 80s. Those still alive think about those who didn't make it home.

"Every time I hear a bugle play Taps it still breaks me up," said Ed Blackburn who served as an Army staff sergeant in the 102nd Infantry Division during the war.

No sooner than he said that, a lone bugle in the distance began the simple, but moving notes of that very song. His frail body, which still carried a strong handshake, slowly rose to the position of attention. Tears streamed down his face.

Many emotional moments were shared with family, fellow service members, and complete strangers as veterans remembered lives lost, but the largest reunion of World War II veterans in history was not just about those not there.

One of the main reasons Spencer traveled from his home in San Diego was "to see this collection of old fellas. They are marvelous."

"Some of them are pretty slow, but they're still moving," said retired Marine Col., Dean Esslinger of Richmond, Va. At least "they're looking at the grass and not under it."

Dave Taylor came with his father-in-law who fought in the infamous Battle of the Bulge. He was humbled by how the veterans looked out for each other. He said they were helping each other to their seats at the dedication ceremony, asking "do you have enough water," and making sure people were comfortable.

The ceremony was "very upbeat," he said. His comment echoed the President's.

"Raising up this memorial took skill and vision and patience," said President Bush during his dedication speech to an audience of more than 160,000. "Now the work is done, and it is a fitting tribute, open and expansive, like America; grand and enduring, like the achievements we honor. ... On this day, in their honor, we will raise the American flag over a monument that will stand as long as America itself."

The memorial has 56, 17-foot high granite pillars which represent 48 states, seven territories and the District of Columbia - the United States at the time of the war. Bronze oak and wheat wreaths hang from each pillar to symbolize the industrial and agricultural strength of the nation. A bronze rope connects the pillars to represent unity. The Rainbow Pool sits in the middle. The north and south entrances each have bronze eagles which hold laurels. They represent victory. On one end is the Freedom Wall. On it are 4,000 gold stars to represent the 400,000 Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the war. Panels around the memorial contain sculptures of Americans during the war. Finally, quotes about the war and the nation during that time are inscribed on walls throughout the memorial.

The World War II Memorial has been in the works for 11 years. In 1993 President Bill Clinton signed a law authorizing the building of the monument.

"It does honor not only to those who were killed, but to those who served," said Esslinger.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20046493311/$file/WWII1low.jpg

May 29 marked the dedication of the World War II Memorial. Over 160,000 people gathered at the National Mall in D.C. to attend the ceremony. The memorial sits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by: Cpl. Brian Buckwalter


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20046494528/$file/WWII6low.jpg

Quotes about the war and the nation during that time are inscribed on walls throughout the memorial. Photo by: Cpl. Brian Buckwalter

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20046494122/$file/WWII5LOW.jpg

The memorial has 56, 17-foot high granite pillars which represent 48 states, seven territories and the District of Columbia - the United States at the time of the war. Bronze oak and wheat wreaths hang from each pillar to symbolize the industrial and agricultural stength of the nation. A bronze rope connects the pillars to represent unity. The Rainbow Pool sits in the middle. The north and south entrances each have bronze eagles which hold laurels. They represent victory.
Photo by: Cpl. Brian Buckwalter

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/655597936FE7118485256EA90049FC8D?opendocument


Ellie