75 YEARS AGO TODAY, THE
INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER WAS
SIGNED IN TOKYO BAY ABOARD THE
USS MISSOURI, ENDING WORLD WAR
II IN THE PACIFIC.
PAMELA YOUNG REPORTS FROM THE
BATTLESHIP MISSOURI MEMORIAL ON
THE CEREMONY
HONORING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF
THE GREATEST GENERATION.
MARK ESPER, U.S. SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE: "I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A
VERY SPECIAL WELCOME TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE GREATEST
GENERATION WITH US THIS
MORNING WHOSE REMARKABLE STORIES
OF COURAGE AND HEROISM ARE
FOREVER ETCHED INTO OUR NATIONS
HEART AND HISTORY." THEY WERE
SCHOOL. MANY HAD WITNESSED THE
DECEMBER 7TH BOMBING OF PEARL
HARBOR
AND SIGNED UP TO DEFEND THEIR
COUNTRY. WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING,
THE DECK OF BATTLESHIP MISSOURI
MEMORIAL
HAD SPACE FOR JUST 20 VETERANS
FROM HAWAII.
PAMELA YOUNG: "NOTICEABLY ABSENT
AND SORELY MISSED WERE 43
VETERANS SET TO ARRIVE THIS PAST
WEEKEND. THEY HAD BEEN IN SELF-
QUARANTINE FOR WEEKS IN
PREPARATION FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM."
BUT LAST WEEK, THEIR FLIGHT WAS
CANCELLED TO OBSERVE SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS. A ROLL CALL OF
THESE MEN RECOGNIZED THEIR
SERVICE
IN THE ARMY, NAVY, ARMY AIR
FORCES AND MERCHANT MARINES.
"ROBERT J 2C, NAVY, MONROE
WISCONSIN"
WATCHING THE CEREMONY FROM HIS
SACRAMENTO HOME.. 95 YEAR OLD
JERRY PEDERSEN, WHO, ALONG WITH
HIS MIGHTY MO
SHIPMATES, WITNESSED THE
HISTORIC SIGNING 75 YEARS AGO.
JERRY PEDERSEN, US MARINE CORPS,
SACRAMENTO, CA: "THERE WAS NO
CELEBRATION OF ANY KIND.
EVERYBODY'S SERIOUS. PART OF THE
FEELING WAS THE EXCITEMENT OF
YES, IT'S ALL COMING TO A
CLOSE."
REAR ADMIRAL ROBERT CHADWICK,
COMMANDER, NAVY REGION-HAWAII:
"ALL OF US WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM
TODAY UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF
LEGACY WE INHERITED FROM THAT
GENERATION. WE ALL STRIVE TO
HONOR THEIR SERVICE WITH OUR
WITH THE SIGNING OF THE
DOCUMENTS, GENERAL MCARTHUR
WROTE, THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF
WORK TO BE DONE TO PRESERVE
SO MANY HAD FOUGHT AND DIED FOR:
JUSTICE, TOLERANCE AND PEACE.
AT PEARL HARBOR, PAMELA YOUNG,
KHON2 NEWS WORKING FOR HAWAII.
GINA:
COMING UP... A SPECIAL ELECTION
WILL BE HELD TO FILL THE SEAT
