WASHINGTON -- World War II in Europe came to an end 70 years ago, and Friday morning nearly 200 veterans and students traveled from Northumberland County to Washington, D.C. to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
The planes that soared through the sky in World War II took to the sky once again. On the anniversary of VE Day, or the end of the war in Europe. The planes are once again soaring over the soldiers who served, 70 years after it all ended.
Mickey Yonkovig knows one of those planes quite well. The Shamokin native flew in a B-24 as a radar operator.
"I saw both atomic bombs being dropped. I saw the fallout from the first one and that was very emotional," he recalled.
Yonkovig is one of 11 veterans on the trip to Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Sunbury VFW.
"Once I see the airplanes in the air, I don't know what I'll do," said Yonkovig.
Nearly 200 people from northeastern and central Pennsylvania were on hand at the National World War II Memorial, as government officials honored those who served during the Second World War.
"As we went through our honor guard, people clapped and cheered for us. That's something we don't hear often as World War veterans. It's too long ago," said Robert Maurer of Selinsgrove.
It's not just World War II veterans who made the trip from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. Around 70 students from Shikellamy High School joined them as well.
"It's an honor to see all the old veterans and what they did for us," said Brandon Bingaman of Sunbury.
"I was very proud of them. I said to my son here we had a great representative here today," said Robert Zimmerman of Northumberland. "They're all very intelligent people. That's the key."
And that's quite the compliment for these Junior ROTC students, because Zimmerman was one of the select few who laid a wreath alongside allied country dignitaries.
"I never expected to be a part of it. I'm no hero. I just did what I had to, like any other soldier would do," Zimmerman said.
Once again, answering the call to action.
