SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A local nonprofit is looking for any last-minute WWII Veterans and Rosie the Riveters to attend a celebration this Sunday which marks 81 years since WWII ended.
Honor Flight San Diego will host its annual “Spirit of ’45” celebration Sunday at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Organizers expect about 550 attendees, including nearly 35 World War II veterans and women who worked in wartime industries during the 1940s.
However, Honor Flight San Diego believes there are more WWII Veterans and Rosie the Riveters unknown to them that needs an invitation.
The Spirit of ’45 is observed nationally on the second Sunday in August to commemorate the end of World War II and recognize the generation that served during the war.
If there's any World War II veteran or Rosie the Riveter or their families that are watching this right now, and they're wondering if they can attend on Sunday, the answer is yes. We always have room for our Greatest Generation,” said Holly Shaffner, Director of Public Relations for Honor Flight San Diego.
The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and is expected to last about an hour with lunch to follow.
"We have the Sweethearts of Swing, a band that's going to come and sing music from the World War II, Vietnam, and Korean War eras; we have the flag presentation, and a short movie clip that asks, 'Where were you when you heard that the war ended on August 14th, 1945?"
Shaffner said. “Every single World War II vet knows exactly where they were, and every Rosie that’s going to be there knows exactly where they were when they heard President Truman announce that the war had ended.”
Honor Flight San Diego has organized the event for the past 10 years as a way to preserve the memories of a generation whose numbers continue to decline.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 16 million Americans served during World War II, and only about 31,000 are still alive today.
Shaffner said the oldest veteran expected to attend Sunday’s event is 106 years old.
“This year there were about 90 World War II veterans that we called,” she said. “We see that the numbers are sadly diminishing, so it’s very important for us to keep honoring and thanking those veterans for their service during World War II.”
Shaffner said everything is free for the WWII Veterans and Rosies, thanks to a sponsorship by Sycuan Casino and Resort.
To contact Honor Flight San Diego to attend this Sunday, email: info@honorflightsandiego.org or call (800) 655-6997.
Per its website, "Honor Flight San Diego (HFSD) is a non-profit branch of the nationwide Honor Flight Network which consists of over 130 independent “hubs” across America. HFSD escorts veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials using monies donated by individuals, foundations, associations, business owners and corporations who wish to recognize our veterans’ contributions and thank them for their service and sacrifice to the United States and its citizens."
