LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A heartfelt tribute was held Monday morning at Bowman Field in Louisville to honor the bravery and sacrifice of our surviving World War II veterans.
The event, hosted by the Kentucky-Indiana Liberated Relics of Yesteryear (KILROY), marked the 79th anniversary of the war's end.
The veterans were treated to a nostalgic ride around Seneca Park in restored military vehicles.
"It's very important that, while they are here, we need to show them our appreciation and our thanks for their service and the freedoms," said Mario Maipid, with KILROY.
Damon Hawkins, who served as a chief mechanic during the war, was among those honored.
"I just feel good every time I get a chance to come out here and take the Jeep ride and stuff like that," he said Monday.
Hawkins will celebrate his 100th birthday on Oct. 30.
Only 119,000 American WWII veterans are still living today out of the 16 million who served.
WWII ended on Sept. 2, 1945, after Japan formally surrendered in ceremonies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
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Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
