CAPE HENLOPEN, DE - Two Delaware World War II veterans were honored at Fort Miles 8th Annual Victory over Japan Day Ceremony Monday morning.
The event commemorated the day Japanese delegates signed surrender documents on September 2nd, 1945.
The ceremony took place under a 16-inch gun barrel from the U.S.S. Missouri, where the surrender took place 79 years ago.
"To be in the shadow of the same barrel that MacArthur and all those dignitaries were under on the Day of Surrender is special," said Will Short, the event's emcee.
Short said the event fulfilled the mission of Fort Miles: to honor the Delawareans that served during World War II. The service included a tribute to the 774 Delawareans who lost their lives during the war.
The ceremony also included honoring local World War II veterans George McCarthy and John Reichert.
Short said it's rare to have one World War II veteran living in the Rehoboth-Lewes, let alone two.
"What I wanted to do was let people see these fellas and, uh, understand what it was like for them," Short said.
One of the veterans, John, was honored with a speech detailing his years of service from his son Paul.
"This is very nice, yeah. I didn't expect any of this," John said.
Paul told WBOC that he's grateful the community and his family came together to recognize his dad.
"Just getting us all together is difficult. It means everything to me because, you know, they're not gonna be around much longer."
John will turn one hundred in October. He recalled what the day of surrender meant to him all those years ago.
"Oh that it was over. I wanted to get home," John said.
John was also given an engraved tribute to his service. He said the memento will include his name and the names of his brother who served as well.
