Twenty-two World War II Veterans will be present as the 80th Commemoration of the End of World War II kicks off at Pearl Harbor on Saturday, August 30th. The Commemoration runs through September 2nd.
Opening day Commemoration activities include a concert featuring Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, a film premiere, RC Airshow and special family activities open to the public. All will take place at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, America’s first World War II aviation battlefield.
“This will be one of our last opportunities to remember in-person the heroes of World War II,” said Linda Hope, Chair and CEO of the Commemoration’s Presenting Sponsor, the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation. “It is our privilege to pay tribute to the valor and sacrifice of those who served in our military during World War II, as well as to the everyday Americans on the home front who also sacrificed to help restore peace to the world. We are proud to salute the service and honor the hope of our Greatest Generation.”
The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation have joined together with the Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for the commemoration in Pearl Harbor, which will ensure that the legacy of service and sacrifice of our WWII heroes is carried forward, inspiring the next generation.
A total of 23 WWII Veterans will be participating in various Commemoration activities.ADVERTISEMENTJohn Gleeson, a Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII, said, “Even when Germany was defeated, we knew the war wasn’t finished. I remember checking over our airplane and getting ready to head to Japan. Then not too long after, Japan surrendered. And it was all over. Was it worth it? I thought it was. Was I proud that I contributed? You bet.”
World War II Veterans will attend the Commemoration Concert at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum include seven USS Missouri crewmembers who witnessed the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945:
Delmar Beard, U.S. Navy & U.S. Army —Arizona
Andrew Bostinto, U.S. Army —Florida
Charles Braun, U.S. Army Air Forces — Texas
Charles Hiliard Cram, U.S. Navy —California
Joe Etheredge, U.S. Army — California
John Gleeson, U.S. Army Air Forces — Hawaii
Harry Hammer, U.S. Army & Navy Reserves — California
Nils Mockler, U.S. Marine Corps — New York
Lester Schrenk, U.S. Army Air Forces —Minnesota
Arthur Shak, U.S. Army Air Forces — Hawaii
Leon Silverman, U.S. Navy — California
Bill Stewert, U.S. Army Air Forces — California
Jack E. Stowe, U.S Navy — Texas
James Tucker, U.S. Navy — California
Patrick Zilliacus, U.S. Navy — California
USS Missouri crewmembers attending the concert include:
AERM3c Doyle Boothroy, US Navy – Virginia
Y3c Lee Broussard, US Navy – Louisiana
S1c Judge Davis, US Navy – Tennessee
S1c John DeLeo, US Navy – Rhode Island
EM2c Robert Kennedy, US Navy – New York
S2c Thomas Schoenecker, US Navy – New York
FC2c Robert Somrak, US Navy – Ohio
The WWII Veterans listed above will experience the Commemoration at no cost to them through the efforts of the non-profit organizations Beyond The Call & You Were Worth IT Foundation and the Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.“We remain committed to bringing these heroes back to Pearl Harbor and their battlefields as long as they are willing and able,” said Tracie Hunter, President & Founder of WWII Beyond the Call. “We deeply value partners like Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum who help make these trips so meaningful and memorable for our Veterans.”
On September 2, 1945, dignitaries gathered on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to witness the signing of the Instrument of Surrender that brought the global conflict to an end. Eighty years later, on September 2, 2025, the official Commemoration Ceremony on the pier adjacent to the Surrender Deck of the Battleship Missouri Memorial will honor that historic day, welcoming USS Missouri veterans who were present for the ceremony that shaped a more peaceful future.
On September 2, the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II, a total of 23 WWII veterans will be honored, including the eight USS Missouri crewmembers who stood on deck during the historic surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay.
The USS Missouri WWII Veterans that will return to the Mighty Mo for the Commemoration Ceremony on September 2 including the USS Missouri crewmembers listed above, plus GM2 Edgar “Ed” Buffman, US Navy — Pennsylvania.
The four-day Commemoration will feature many public events staged at the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. For information on the full schedule of events and how to participate, visit USSMissouri.org/endofwwii or www.PearlHarborAviationMuseum.org.
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