Historic Tribute: Our WWII Veterans and V-E Day

(left to right: Howard Requardt, Juli Hale of Forza Marketing, Walter Kraus, Noah Switzer, Gerald Bentle, Jessica Brown of Fox19 News)

Within the members of the “Greatest Generation,” we have a living history that some of us are privileged to see on a regular basis. Dozens of our patients served in WWII, helping to preserve and protect our nation. This week, The Urology Group, is proud to repay, in a small way, four of those individualsВ as aВ symbol of our appreciation for all of them.

This morning we sent four local veterans to Washington, D.C., to join the national celebration of the 70thВ Anniversary of V-E (Victory in Europe) Day. V-EВ Day marks the date when the U.S. and its allies accepted Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces, marking the end of war in Europe.

Tomorrow, thousands will gather at the National Mall to commemorate this historic victory with a wreath-laying ceremony and a military flyover of one of the largest collections of WWII vintage airplanes ever gathered.

The Urology Group chose to honor WWII veterans on this special occasion because they are our patients, but more importantly they represent the courage and sacrifice of an entire generation. It’s been a pleasure to get to know them beyond the examination room, as people and heroes.

The participating local veterans:

• Gerald Bentle, age 90, of Milan, Indiana
• Walter Kraus, age 94 of Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
• Howard Requardt, age 89 of Edgewood, Kentucky
• Noah Switzer, age 89 of Taylor Mill, Kentucky

In addition to attending the official recognition event on the National Mall, the group will dine at the Army-Navy Club, receive a tour of Arlington Cemetery and visit other significant sites in our nation’s capital.

Of the 16 million U.S. service members from WWII, aboutВ 850,000 remain — and only about 300 will make it to the V-E Day event. We are pleased that some of our veterans are able to attend this special program and are honored to be their host. Dr. Karl Braun from our group is attending as well and will bring us a first-hand perspective on the trip in tomorrow’s blog.