Veterans and their well-wishers gathered in front of 888 Wing in Comox on Friday to quietly mark the 75th anniversary of VE-Day.
Visitors greeting veterans Suds Sunderland, Mike Kirkwood and Bill Chiki were encouraged to drive to the parking lot at 888 Wing around 11 a.m. There they waited to be marshalled toward a spot in front of the 888 Wing building where the three were seated in an area cordoned off to maintain physical distancing.
Eleven months ago, 888 Wing was able to hold a larger celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
RELATED STORY: 888 Wing remembers D-Day
On Friday, visitors were directed to approach in their vehicle one at a time, then walk up to greet the veterans from a safe distance.
People came to aks questions, recount their stories or express gratitude. One doffed his baseball cap in salute. Another stayed in his car to wave as he had been having trouble with his cane.
“Gentlemen, thank you for looking after me. I was 12 years old,” another man said.
One even wore a flight helmet before removing it to greet the three men.
VE-Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marked the day in 1945 when the Nazis surrendered to the Allies, bringing the Second World War to a close in Europe.
RELATED STORY: 75th anniversary: Courtenay remembers Liberation of the Netherlands
mike.chouinard@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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