• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Human Interest / Event celebrates the end of World War Two

Event celebrates the end of World War Two

August 14, 2015 By Dar Danielson

Spirit-of-45World War Two ended on this date in 1945 and a celebration is planned Sunday at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter. Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs executive director, Colonel Robert King, says the “Spirit of ’45” ceremony is part of an international event.

“All of the national cemeteries, including Arlington, many state cemeteries, all of the American battlefield memorial commission sites around the world will participate in this international to recognize our World War Two veterans on this 70th anniversary of what they did for us,” King says.

The Iowa event begins at 1 p.m. and Governor Terry Branstad will be the keynote speaker. King says they will also have an Iowan who is the national spokesman for the “Spirit of ’45” events.

“Captain Jerry Yellin from Fairfield, was originally from the east coast, came back and settled in Iowa. Jerry was a P-51 fighter pilot and was flying combat missions on the very last day of the war,” King says. Yellin’s flight is considered the last mission of the war. He is now 95-years-old. King is retired from the Iowa National Guard and says they will also have a flyover with a special plane. It’s a World War Two Stinson plane that was used by the Army Air Force during the war and it was later assigned to the Iowa Air National Guard in 1947.

King says this is a chance for everyone to remember one of the great days in history. King says the people that were alive on that date 70 years ago is diminishing every day. “But there’s a lot of stories and a lot of remembrances not only of that last, but what they specifically did during the war,” according to King, “whether it was in combat, or participating in one of the many drives that supported the war effort.”

King encourages everyone to participate in the celebration and share in the stories and memories. The Iowa Veterans Cemetery is along Interstate 80 at the Van Meter exit.

 

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Human Interest, Military, News Tagged With: Terry Branstad

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Drake falls to No. 20 Loyola in MVC Championship

Confusion at MVC Tournament as UNI exits prior to quarterfinal round game

Iowa State looks to avoid winless Big-12 season

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC