CARIBOU, Maine — World War II veterans gathered at the Caribou VFW last Friday for the “Greatest Generation Dinner,” an event which honored their service to this country.
Dale Olmstead, a man stationed in Italy in 1945, was among the group of World War II veterans attending the ceremony.
Olmstead, a Woodland native, served in the 88th Infantry Division during the Second World War. Drafted in the mid-1940s, he completed basic training in Georgia before being sent to Milan.
“A lot of the people in Milan were very poor at the time,” said Olmstead. “There was this little girl who would always flock to our garbage as soon as we put it out, looking for some scraps of food. We always made sure to feed her when we had our big meals on Sundays.
“Then there was another man who came over to where we were stationed and killed a bird and put it in his pocket. When I asked him why he did that, he said ‘well, that’s my dinner’,” he added.
Olmstead believes that the war likely contributed to the extreme poverty in the area.
“Luckily, I didn’t see any combat while I was over there,” said Olmstead. “One of the big things I remember is finding out about my daughter being born while I was in Italy. I couldn’t wait to get back home and see her. She’s about 70 years old now.”
“It wasn’t a vacation,” continued Olmstead. “It’s not something I would re-do if I were given the chance, but I did feel proud of what we were doing while we were there.”
The Allies won the war while Olmstead was in Italy, and they brought all the soldiers back home on a “Victory Boat.”
“They had us all on the bottom of the boat,” said Olmstead. “It was very crowded down there, and the waves were so intense that it felt like being on a swing. When we were sitting at the table to eat, my plate would slide to the person next to me, and then it would slide back when the next wave hit. All of these things stuck with me.”
Veterans and their families enjoyed a meal prepared by the young adults of Job Corps and Roger Felix, commander of Lister-Knowlton Post 9389 and Job Corps liaison.
“The main reason we’re here is to honor the World War II veterans,” said Felix, “who we call the ‘Greatest Generation.’”
For the awards ceremony, Felix awarded all World War II veterans a flag that was flown over the nation’s capital. Veterans gathered together in seats next to the podium after receiving their flag. The audience proudly stood up to give them a standing ovation once the veterans were all together.
Felix introduced State Office Representatives for Susan Collins, Angus King and Bruce Poliquin to read the Congressional Record recognizing the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Felix ended the ceremony by introducing a representative for Governor Paul LePage to read the governor’s proclamation regarding the triumphant veterans of World War II.
