WWII vets coming to St. Paul for last hurrah:
Some WWII soldiers are breaking out uniforms not worn for decades. Many will come in chartered buses, catch rides with their children or grandkids or drive in from around the nation.
Upwards of 20,000 people are expected to gather Saturday on the Capitol Mall in St. Paul to dedicate the new state memorial to World War II veterans. State Veterans Affairs Commissioner Clark Dyrud said it could be one of the largest gatherings ever of WWII veterans in Minnesota.
Among the crowd will be members of the Northern Alliance Radio Network as we'll be broadcasting our show live from the Capitol Mall this Saturday from 11am-5pm.
Events are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. with a roll call of 6,284 Minnesota servicemen and -women who died during the war
After a 2 p.m. flyover by WWII military aircraft, the dedication ceremony will begin. Speakers include Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Vessey and decorated WWII chaplain Delbert Kuehl. The program ends at 4:30 p.m.
There will be free samples of the ubiquitous WWII delicacy Spam, served from the Hormel "Spammobile;" WWII-era music, military vehicles and an Army encampment; newsreels; a bloodmobile; a Minnesota History Center tent showing films, and exhibits in the Capitol Rotunda, including people taking oral histories of veterans.
Free Spam? It really doesn't get any better. Might be a good opportunity to add to my NARN hosts eating photo collection too.
More information on the event is available here.
JB Chimes:
You know, I'm starting to hear this modern phrase "Men AND women killed in..." a lot more these days. You never used to hear that. How many WACs did we lose in the Big One anyway, a couple hundred?
More PC nonsense if you ask me.
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