2017 Another Most Memorable Memorial Day "March of Heroes" Hundreds of volunteers took part in the 10th annual Spirit of '45 Memorial Day March of Heroes on May 29, 2017. Thanks to U-Haul International for sponsoring the Spirit of '45 Memorial Day float! Special guests in 2017 were Pearl Harbor Survivor Stu Hedley, 95, Elinor Marie Otto, 97, (aka "America's Longest Working Rosie the Riveter"), and Mae Krier, 91, and Phyllis Gould, 95, who led the National Rosie the Riveter Day. Special thanks to the George Hotel for hosting our Greatest Generation! Elinor Otto and Stu Hedley with George Hotel staffers Elinor, Mae and Phyllis are now working together with the American Rosie the Riveter Association, the National Park Service and the American Rose Society on a Spirit of '45 initiative to create a national network of Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Gardens featuring an official Rosie the Riveter rose that will be available for planting in the first quarter of 2018.
Hundreds of volunteers took part in the 10th annual Spirit of '45 Memorial ____________ Stu Hedley, 94, of San Diego, CA, was on the USS West Virginia during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served on the USS Saratoga during the battles of Wake Island, Guadalcanal, Saipan and other naval engagements. Stu represented Spirit of '45 at the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration in Hawaii, where honored the more than 2,000 sailors, soldiers and marines who lost their lives during the attacks 75 years ago - the first American Gold Stars of WWII.   Richard Graff, 93, served in the European Theater of WWII for six and a half months as a combat infantryman during WWII. After Germany surrendered, Mr. Graf was being trained for beach assault maneuvers in anticipation of being sent to the Pacific Theater, when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, ending the war. Mr. Graff was joined by a group of middle school students who have come at their own expense to begin the countdown to the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the Liberation of France in 2019. Photo courtesy of the Washington Post Elinor Otto, 97, of Long Beach, CA, worked as a riveter building airplanes from 1942 until she retired at age 95 - earning her the title of "America's Longest Working Rosie." Elinor has been a national spokeswoman for Spirit of '45 Day since 2010. She is leading a national campaign to create a "living memorial" to the contributions of women during WWII in the form of a national network of Rosie the Riveter Rose Gardens in communities throughout America by August 2020. (L) Elinor Otto receives National Rosie the Riveter Day proclamation from Congressman Lowenthal. (C) Newly created Spirit of '45 Rosie the Riveter Rose. (R)Elinor breaks ground the first public Rosie the Riveter Rose Garden in Long Beach, CA. __________________________
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