President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Friday greeted eight World War II veterans — the youngest of them age 96 — at a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe.
The president and first lady each placed a hand on the wreath before standing and saluting as a bugler played taps.
Trump made no public remarks, but spoke privately to each of the vets, some wearing medals and others uniforms, while practicing social distancing.
The Trumps then walked slowly through the World War II Memorial in the nation’s capital on a blustery, 65-degree day, pausing at points to read the inscriptions.
The veterans joining Trump included Gregory Melikian, 97, of Phoenix, who sent the coded message to the world that the Germans had unconditionally surrendered.
Participants in the 1944 D-Day invasion that turned the tide of the war included Steven Melnikoff, 100, of Cockeysville, Md., Guy Whidden, 97, of Braddock Heights, Md., Harold Angle, 97, of Chambersburg, Pa., and Frank Devita, 96, of Bridgewater, NJ.
Other veterans joining Trump were Donald Halverson, 97, of Minnesota, who fought in some of the war’s fiercest battles in Italy; John Coates, 96, of Maryland, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge; and Jack Myers, 97, of Hagerstown, Md., who was part of a unit that liberated the Dachau concentration camp.
Timothy Davis, director of the Greatest Generations Foundation, which helps veterans return to the countries where they fought, said the US soldiers were originally slated to travel to Moscow for a commemoration event.
He said that with international travel out of the question during the pandemic, the veterans talked to him about trying to commemorate the day in Washington.
“Of course, we presented to them the risk we are facing,” Davis said, referring to the coronavirus pandemic, which is particularly dangerous for the elderly.
“They said, ‘It doesn’t matter, Tim,’” and asked him to press ahead, saying they viewed the commemoration as “a blessing to all who fought, died and served in World War II.”
With AP
