ROBERTA CAITO SEP10

“This year marks the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II, perhaps the last time America can say ‘Thank you!’ to our greatest generation for preserving our democracy and establishing the gold standard of service that will inspire future generations.” Thus begins the opening page of the Spirit of ’45 website (www.spiritof45.org).
This organization initiated and saw through the Spirit of ’45 Resolution recently passed by the U. S. House of Representatives (July 26, 2010) and the U. S. Senate (August 5, 2010) that celebrates the Anniversary of the end of World War II and honors the generation that so selflessly and bravely lived and sacrificed in that war. This year, the Spirit of ’45 Day was celebrated August 14, 2010, with celebrations, some small and some large, all over the country.
In our local community, there was a Spirit of ’45 reception at the Beech Grove Library sponsored by the Samuel Bryan Chapter, NSDAR. One of the speakers was WWII RoundTable member Roberta (“Brigitt”) Caito who is also a member of the American World War II Orphans Network. Proclamations from the Indiana Governor’s Office and from the Cities of Indianapolis and of Beech Grove made the day especially notable. The Indianapolis and the State proclamations were well displayed in the entry to the Indiana War Memorial thanks to Brig. Gen. Stewart Goodwin.
In the future, the second Sunday of August every year will be Spirit of ’45 Day, and, while not a National Holiday,certainly a day to say Thank YOU to our veterans of that war. The national spokespersons for the Spirit of ’45 initiative were Edith Shain and Hugh O’Brian. Sadly, Edith Shain (the nurse in that famous photo in Times Square August 15, 1945) died in June of this year. Hugh O’Brian (the youngest Marine Drill Instructor on record during WWII) continues to promote the heroes of that time. As recently as the Spirit of ’45 celebration in San Diego, Mr. O’Brian was a speaker.
The Spirit of ’45 website has a link where you can submit your story. Many people have done so, and we hope that the WWII Roundtable members with their own ties to that war will participate. If you are not online, feel free to ask someone who is to help you tell your story!
http://www.digiclubweb.org/common/files/HCONRES-226-TEXT.pdf Site of text of resolution
INFO PROVIDED BY WW2-ROUNDTABLE MEMBER -- Roberta C.