70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration

Falmouth Will Host a Wonderful 70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration

A dinner will be hosted by the Falmouth Historical Society at 6:00 pm on September 2nd. The celebration will take place at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth. The festivities will be held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which was when the allies were victorious over Japan. At the dinner, those who served in the Armed Forces during the war will be honored. The event will include a meal and music that will be reminiscent of the era.

Guests will include senior officers of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Maritime Service. Army General Gordon R. Sullivan, president and CEO of The Association of the United States Army and 32nd Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the featured speaker.

"The Kissing Sailor" by Alfred Eisenstaedt 70th Anniversary V-J Day Celebration

“The Kissing Sailor” by Alfred Eisenstaedt

The guest of honor will be George Mendonsa. George is best known as, “The Kissing Sailor”. He was immortalized in Alfred Eisenstaedt‘s photo of Times Square on August 14, 1945. The image shows Mendonsa passionately kissing a nurse to celebrate the end of fighting. The photo was taken moments after the announcement that Japan had surrendered to the Unites States, which ended the conflict between the Axis and the Allied powers. Two week after the photo was taken, it was published on the cover of LIFE magazine. Unfortunately, in the pandemonium of the moment, Eisenstaedt did not get the names of the people in the photograph. For years no one knew who the subjects were. It was not until 2012 that the sailor and nurse were identified. The person who identified them was author Lawrence Verria. Vierria will also be a featured speaker at the dinner. In his talk, he will tell the story of how he was able to track down Mendonsa and prove that he was the sailor in the photo. The search is a fascinating story on its own.

Many believe that this is the most famous photograph that was taken during the war. With out a doubt, it was the most celebrated photo ever published by LIFE magazine.

Tickets can be purchased online at Museums on the Green. The tickets are $75.00 per person. However, all World War II military veterans will be admitted free. Advanced reservations are required. Please call 508-548-4857.

In addition, The Palmer House Inn is offering a limited number of complimentary rooms to World War II military veterans who will be coming from out of town.  For Palmer House Inn reservations call 508-548-1230.

 


Cape Cod's Stowe Room, A

Harriet Beecher Stowe room

Cape Cod's Roosevelt Room, B

Cape Cod’s Roosevelt Room, B

While all of the bedchambers at the Palmer House have their own romantic charm suitable for relaxation after the most wonderful day exploring Cape Cod’s history, we recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, the Theodore Roosevelt room or the Emily Dickinson room. These rooms feature comfortable king beds, fireplaces, jetted tubs for a relaxing stay before and after your day.