One was in Times Square. Another was in the Philippines. A couple were awaiting orders to invade Japan. One was helping build a B-24 Liberator.
And one was in Austria at Hitler’s Hideout.
Sunday at Honor Flight San Diego’s “Spirit of ’45 — A Celebration of the End of WWII,” San Diego-area veterans shared where they were on Aug. 14, 1945.
Joe Ventura, who served with the 3rd Infantry Division, fought with fellow American soldiers.
They ended up at Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest when they heard the war was over.
“We pushed the Germans from the front all the way through France and through Germany and we ended up in Austria. And we had orders to go to Japan,” Ventura said. “And that’s when we found out the war was over.”
Bob Austin was in London waiting to board a ship to Japan for an invasion.
Bill Ridenour was on a ship headed to Japan when he heard the Emperor of Japan surrender. He was at the Sept. 2 signing of the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
A Rosie the Riveter identified as Betty was at San Diego’s Consolidated Aircraft, helping assemble B-24 bombers.
The military observance is a nationally recognized event mandated by Congress for the second Sunday of August. It is known as VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, when President Truman announced the war ended 79 years ago.
The San Diego event at Liberty Station Conference Center — said to be the largest in the nation — included about 44 WWII veterans ages 94 to 108.
Army veteran Andre Chappaz spoke with delight when he recalled watching the West Coast slowly appear on the horizon on his way home after the war.
His ship pulled into San Francisco Bay and his parents were there to greet him as he walked off the ship.
Chappaz served in the 885th Aviation Engineer Battalion and recently attended the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy and said the veterans were warmly welcomed.
“It was a great experience,” said Chappaz, who turns 98 in September.
During the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, Chappaz was shown walking on Utah Beach during the recent D-Day commemoration.
Sunday’s event also served as a reunion for Korean and Vietnam War veterans who have been on their Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.
“This is an event that our veterans look forward to each year and being able to do this for them is our honor,” said Julie Brightwell, chair of Honor Flight San Diego. “Our volunteers contacted over 800 veterans in our database, and we are excited to have 44 WWII veterans at this event.”
The next Honor Flight is the last weekend of September. To donate, go here.
