 A "Wall of Honor" consisting of the faces of 1,945 who served during World War II was unveiled at the National World War II Memorial on Saturday morning, August 11, to mark National Spirit of '45 Day honoring the men and women who were the "ordinary heroes" of WWII.
The "Wall" includes the photos of well known WWII veterans President John Kennedy and Actors James Stewart and Clark Gable, all 464 Medal of Honor recipients, and 400 who lost their lives during the war, as well less famous individuals whose photos were sent in from around the country.  This year's "Wall" was created by Dave Williams of Fold3.com and produced by Hewlett-Packard's Large Format Media Group. The "Wall" includes the photos of H-P Founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. H-P CEO Meg Whitman's mother served as a Red Cross nurse during WWII.
 Special thanks to Madelyn Yates of the National Parks Service for helping to organize this year's inaugural presentation of the "Wall" and the assistance of all the Girl Scouts and other volunteers who stepped forward to help. Members of Alamo Honor Flight from San Antonio, TX, were present at the unveiling of the "Wall" this year, representing the more that 100 Honor Flight Regional Hubs in over 30 states that have flown more than 80,000 WWII veterans to visit their Memorial before they die. The volunteers who make this possible are themselves "unsung heroes" in the effort to keep the Spirit of '45 alive in America. Several of the hubs are planning to create their own "Wall of Honor" during the next 12 months that can be displayed in their communities during National Spirit of '45 Day. For more information about how you can build a "Wall of Honor" in your community, contact Juan Schaur at Prisma Banners.
Madelyn Yates and Sharita Shivels of the National Parks Service join Thad Jaracz of VITAS Innovative Hospice (9th from left) at the unveiling of the Wall of Honor on Saturday, August 11. WWII War Bride Joy Beebe (2nd from far right) traveled all the way from Salem, OR to attend the ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and New York's Times Square. Auston O'Neill, Jr. and Steve Tracy of Bugles Across America performed "Taps" at the ceremonies at the WWII Memorial to begin the close of National Spirit of '45 Day across America on Sunday afternoon, August 12. Madelyn Yates of the National Parks Service holds the photo of H-P CEO Meg Whitman's mother who served as a Red Cross volunteer during the war. British WWII war bride Joy Beebe holds the photo of her husband Carl who served in ETO during the war. Wreath supplied through the courtesy of Joseph Grawler's Sons, Inc. a Dignity Memorial provider. The photos submitted for "Wall of Honor" banners are being made into posters that youth can carry in their local Veterans Day Parades in November. Learn more.
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