It's over - August 1945

[NutmegCT]

VJ Day: The real end of the Second World War

For many, the end of the Second World War was marked by VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) on 8 May 1945 - but the official end of the war did not happen until three months later on 15 August.

news.sky.com

 

[PAUL161]

I remember all the excitement as I was 8 years old at the time, we had a big Philco radio, and I seem to remember the only thing on it was "The War is Over"! My dad and my uncles, 5 of them, are coming home, all except one, my uncle Jake who was in the navy, I never found out how he was killed. It was a crazy time as the farm was on the move again, lots of activity, it was a crazy time! It wasn't uncommon to have 14 to 15 people at the table for supper!

 

[Basil]

The Mighty Mo.

 

[PAUL161]

Never was on the Mighty Mo, but actually helped restoration on the teak decks of the New Jersey, now a floating display on the Delaware River. At one time or another, I went through quite a bit of the ship and was in awe of its size.

 

[Bob McElwee]

I was 6 years old and remember riding around Memphis with my mom and older sister in a spontaneous parade with everyone honking their horns. I also seem to remember a large used tire fire at a junk yard. Really black smoke.

 

[Harold]

In the summer of 1954--I was a 19 year old "Naval ROTC Midshipman" on the Missouri--"Mighty Mo"--along with other ROTC members
from University of Kansas,,-- other Universities and the Naval Academy--The Missouri was one of several ships on the annual Navy summer
training cruise. The "flotilla" consisted of 4 Battleships--Missouri--New Jersey--Wisconsin--and Iowa--The only time that they had
cruised together during or after WW2--I have a picture taken from the deck of the Missouri with my little "brownie" camera (come on
you "oldtimers"--you know what a "brownie" camera is!)--with the other 3 Battleships in the distance--There were several Destroyers and
other ships in the flotilla--My "station" during "gun firing" practice was a Powder bag "loader"--the gun on the right in the picture--
I sat high in the mount looking down on the gun "loading" --After the gun crew loaded the "16 inch shell" into the breach, I bought up
the 2 "powder bags" on an elevator lift from the power room, 3 decks below--Then the gun captain signaled (green light)--the gun was
ready to fire--The "fire control" officer"--in "CIC" would fire on command--The whole darn ship would shake when all three guns,
in the mount would fire on a broadside---
Being on the "Mighty Mo" that summer was quite an experience for a Kansas farm boy--who had never seen the "big city"--
Kansas City--even though it was only 30 miles from Lawrence KS (KU)
2 summers later, I was on the "senior" cruise on a Destroyer USS Robinson DD562--but that's another story, right now, I have
to walk the dog--and bleed the clutch on the Nash Metropolitan--It's been fun--as that great philosopher--Yogi Berra--
"google" said "nostalgia isn't what it used to be"--

 

[John Turney]

We used to have a neighbor who was a Japanese translator for the surrender ceremony. He's gone now.

 

[NutmegCT]

Wow - what a heavy responsibility for the translators. The surrender of the Empire of Japan to Allied Forces; the end of fighting. What memories your neighbor must have had.

The "Jewel Voice" broadcast, August 15, 1945:

Has quite a backstory itself.

Hirohito surrender broadcast - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tom M.