This weekend, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States pays honor to America’s Greatest Generation of veterans as we mark the 73rd anniversary of V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, when Japan formally surrendered and officially ended World War II.
On Sept. 2, 1945, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, along with the Japanese foreign minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, and the chief of staff of the Japanese Army, Yoshijiro Umezu, signed the official Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
In remembrance of the more than 400,000 Americans and 60 million people killed worldwide during the deadliest military conflict in human history, the VFW thanks the more than 16.1 million American service members who answered the call to protect freedom and democracy. Our nation will always be forever grateful for their honor and sacrifice.
The Greatest Generation has showed all Americans, and the world, what true commitment to the principles of liberty and justice for all means and for that the VFW salutes all World War II veterans and their families for their great courage and dedication to the principles our nation was founded upon.
In Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, the National World War II Memorial will hold a ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 2 to commemorate the anniversary and recognize all World War II veterans, especially those who fought in the Pacific Theater during the war.