KEARNEY — Two World War II veterans in Kearney were presented “Celebrating 80 Years of Victory” medals during a ceremony at Brookestone Gardens on Thursday, July 17.
The Nebraska Department of Veteran Affairs and Governor Jim Pillen have launched an effort to recognize and honor Nebraska’s living World War II veterans in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
To be eligible for the medal, living veterans must have served in the U.S. Armed forces from Dec. 1, 1941, to Dec. 31, 1946, and be a current residence of Nebraska or demonstrate Nebraska residency at the time of entering the service.
The two veterans, Gerald Baker and Jack Northrop, were presented with the medal and a certificate by Kearney City Council member Alex Straatmann.
Straatmann said that Baker grew up in Kearney and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945 while the war against Japan was still raging. He served for 18 months in the United States and was stationed in Texas.
Baker played the saxophone and clarinet in the Army dance band. Additionally, he served with the military police battalion in Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas.
Northrop was raised in the Harvard and Clay Center area. During the war, he volunteered for service and underwent basic training at Farragut Naval Training Station in Idaho. His time in the Navy spanned from 1943 to 1944.
Baker said a few words during the ceremony and recalled how he and his fellow service members learned that the United States had dropped an atomic bomb on Japan in August 1945. He said they had no idea what an atomic bomb was, but they knew it was big.
He said after the second bomb had been dropped on Nagasaki, the Emperor of Japan, Hirohito, then chose to end the war. Baker wondered how many more lives had been lost had the war not been brought to an end in September 1945.
The old inter-service rivalries die hard, because another Navy veteran in the room couldn’t help but remind the Army veteran what the most recent score of the Army-Navy game was. (31-13 for those of you keeping score in that rivalry.)
Northrop extended his thanks to Gov. Pillen for the recognition and thanked those who attended the ceremony.
Straatmann closed out the ceremony by thanking all the veterans and encouraged them to keep sharing their stories. “Thank you isn’t enough” he said.
80 Years of Victory Medal
“On the front of the medal is the slogan of this initiative: “Celebrating 80 Years of Victory.” It includes Nebraska’s famous Sower in front of the state and surrounded by a laurel wreath, a symbol of triumph. The backside of the medal features the words “On Behalf of a Grateful State, Thank You for Your Service” emblazoned above the personification of victory standing in front of the 48-star flag of 1946. The ribbon design pays homage to the U.S. Military’s World War II Victory Medal (which is itself a doubling of the pattern of the World War I Victory Medal). Medals will be housed in a velvet box and come with an accompanying ribbon bar,” according to the Nebraska Department of Veteran Affairs.
