VE Day in Warren and Royal Oak Michigan.

[Paul Smith]

Yesterday there were two HUGE VE Day commemorations in the Detroit area.  I had the privilege of driving Captain Bill Shaffmaster, age 98, around to two of these.  Bill is an AMA member and a member of the Royal Oak Cloudbusters, Michigan's oldest model club.  With most WWII veterans nearing 100 years of age, both communities went big of the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

Mayor Fouts put on a huge event in Warren from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.  It may take a few posting to get a small sample of the photos.

The photo is Bill being interviewed by the top reporter from WJR, Detroit's number on radio station.

[Paul Smith]

The atrium at the Warren Civic Center is huge and it was packed with WW2 veterans, other veterans, and their supporters.

Long speeches, good music, and FREE food.  In addition to the usual politicians they had a Tuskegee Airman and a Holocaust survivor as speakers.

Well done, Mayor Fouts.

[Paul Smith]

The Royal Oak event was organized by the committee that's building a Michigan WW2 memorial at Woodward and Thirteen.  It was outdoors and less formal.

The "Rosies" are a group that represents the B-24 workers of Mr. Ford's Willow Run bomber plant.

The B-17 is from the Yankee Air Force, also based at Willow Run.  Fuzzy pitcher.  The bomber was pretty high up above the city on cloudy afternoon.

[Paul Smith]

The keynote speaker was a fighter from the French resistance to the Nazi occupation.

The plan for the Michigan WW2 memorial.