"A MEMORY IN TIME" FROM A CANTON ROTARIAN

      

"Report on the Washington, D.C. WW-2 Memorial Dedication Trip"

Submitted by Bob Wade

 

"The trip was a Canton Rotary Club project to take a group of WW-2 vets, wives, and several other interested persons to D.C. to attend the "Salute to the Veterans" program and the Dedication ceremony on 5/29/2004.  We used two 15 passenger maxi vans made available gratis by President Mike Bragg.  18 travelers left my residence at 9:00 a.m. on 5/28/2004 for the 8 hour ride to stay overnight at the Watergate hotel.  Six of us attended the "Salute to the Veterans" at 7:00 p.m. in the MCI Center arena.  The first half consisted of a number of narrated vignettes about civilian and military life during the war years accompanied by scenes projected on a large screen.  In the second half the Army band played big band music from the WW-2 era.  (Glenn Miller).  This was followed by bands and marchers from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and Air Force; the effect was spectacular. The next morning we met in the lobby at 11:00 a.m. to be transported to within a few blocks of the Memorial site.  There was a very large crowd (Est. 200k); all in good humor.  The weather was perfect.  Our tickets were in sections 1 and 2.  There were lots of young volunteers offering assistance to those needing it.  The Dedication program consisted of short speeches by Senator Bob Dole, Frederick W. Smith who were Chairman and co-Chairman of the WW-2 Memorial campaign, Gen P.X. Kelley U.S. Marine corps-ret., Chairman American Battle Monuments Commission, and remarks by President George W. Bush.  Incidentally Ex Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton attended.  This was followed by the National Anthem by the U.S. Navy band and a Benediction by Dr. Barry C. Black, Chaplin of the U.S. Senate,  We then met our vans at the agreed on site and began the return trip with a stop in Potomac Maryland for fine dining at the Normandie Farm restaurant.  We arrived back at 3:00 a.m. on 5/30/2004.

 

Happy Trails R.V.W. (Bob Wade)"