VE Day, the End of World War II, Remembered.

Not to take anything away from our mothers, but this past Sunday, May 8, also marked VE Day.  VE (Victory Europe) Day commemorates Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945,–the end of World War II in Europe.  In addition to the States and England, many countries across the globe celebrate VE Day.

How do our soldiers remember the end of World War II?

Ed Persons served in Europe with the elite 101st Airborne Division.   He had parachuted behind enemy lines in Normandy, battled the Germans at Eindhoven as part of Operation Market Garden and held the line at all costs at Bastogne, Belgium.

Near war’s end, Persons’ unit received new orders. “They thought Hitler was going to Berchtesgaden, so that’s where we went to get him,” he said. “I think the 501^st jumped in, while the rest of us rode on anything that would roll.  I was on top of an amphibious duck.  We had that damn thing all the way down into Austria.  With those big tires, it was a nice soft ride.

“But Hitler wasn’t there and the war soon ended.  The Germans always wanted to surrender to us, rather than the Russians.  They were scared to death and had every right to be.  I remember them coming down a road, marching six columns wide, row after row.  They looked like ants.”

Infantryman Tom Franks, who served with the 121st Infantry, 8th Infantry Division in Northern Europe, was wounded twice, including a bullet through the neck at Brest, France.  Yet, he survived and returned to the front each time.    “Towards the end, the fighting got a lot lighter,” Franks said, agreeing with Persons’ assessment.  “In fact, as we got closer to Berlin, we would get hundreds, if not thousands of German soldiers running at us with white flags.  They were so desperate not to be captured by the Russians that they were literally running to find and surrender to Americans.”

American soldier, Harold Hastings, fought in North Africa with 168th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division.  He was captured by the enemy on February 17, 1943 at the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia.  He would spend the next two years in a German POW camp, Stalag II-B, before liberation.  “It sure is a great feeling to be writing to you as a free man again,” he described to his fiancee.  “…All the time I used to write and say, I’d be seeing you soon and never getting there is over now.  I’m on my way home.  I’m in France now and expect to pull out in a few days for the states.  They tell us we get a furlough just as soon as we get there, so just keep a sharp lookout.  I’m coming home this time, and I really mean it.”

Airman Bob Berkes served as a gunner on the B-17 bomber, Forever Amber, over Northern Europe.  He and his crew had just returned safely from a historic run over the Skoda Armament Works in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. “Two days later, we were loading up with thousand pound Disney bombs to hit the submarine pens at Brussels, Belgium,” he said.  “But Germany surrendered and we didn’t have to go.  We had one big celebration.”

Sergeant Hobert Winebrenner fought through Northern Europe with the 358th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division.   “I can well remember the day my war ended,” he wrote in his book, BOOTPRINTS. “I’ll never forget it! Along an anonymous lane, I sat in the mud. We were at rest between route marches in the middle of nowhere, Czechoslovakia. I noticed an American jeep driving toward my position. Oddly, the crew paused every few yards to speak to the ditch dwellers and were causing quite a commotion. I stared intently, but couldn’t hear what was said until they stopped in front of me. ‘Hey, the war’s over buddy!’ the passenger announced.

“’I’ve been waiting on you for three years!’ I yelled back as they continued on down the line. I didn’t know what to think or do. No one did. A flood of emotions overwhelmed us all. A few laughed, danced and sang. Some quietly crouched, cried and prayed.  Many others sat silent, numbed by the news.”

Soldier Ernie Leatherman served with Hell on Wheels, the 2nd Armored Division. They had crossed the Elbe River and were rolling into Berlin, Germany when they received the news of war’s end.   “You just remember a lot of things—things that touched your life,” he said. “So many families got hurt by losing loved ones, but our family—myself and my brothers Everett and Don, serving in the Pacific … all of us came home.  A lot of families, their sons did not come home.  …We are so fortunate to have helped our country and lived through this.  I sure wouldn’t want to do it again. …But we knew why we were there—to save our country.”

British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, offered a stirring speech in London, as thousands gathered to celebrate the victory.

May we always remember the contributions of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in World War II by holding VE Day, May 8, special in our hearts.  Thank you to all who serve.

4 Responses to “VE Day, the End of World War II, Remembered”

1. Kevin Crawford says:

   May 11, 2011 at 3:10 am

   It’s just amazing what these soldiers had to live through. I am very proud of my grandfather (even though I never knew him-he as KIA at the Battle of Brest August 6th, 1944) and will never forget what the WW II Generation gave us.

   Go 29!
   Kevin Crawford

   Reply
   • mikemccoy says:

     May 11, 2011 at 9:30 am

     Kevin,

     I agree. It is truly amazing that any of them survived. From what I’ve read, the Battle at Brest, France, sounds like one of the worst.

     Reply
2. randy chambers says:

   October 2, 2011 at 1:56 pm

   when i was little i used to look through all of my grandfather’s photos of his time with the second armored (from benning to berlin) and wonder about those who may not have made it home. there was a photo of a duece and a half truck with four guys in front if my middleaged photographic memory serves me correctly one of them was ernest leatherman.

   i think i’ll be spending most of the day reading the rememberences on this site

   thanks
   randy

   [email protected]

   Reply
3. mikemccoy says:

   October 7, 2011 at 12:45 pm

   Randy,

   Great to hear from you and welcome aboard the site. Aren’t the old period pictures wonderful?

   You could very well be correct about the 2nd Armored photo. Ernest Leatherman drove a deuce and a half truck in the war. Any chance you can get your hands on it? I’d love to take a look.

   Thanks again,
   Mike

   Reply