The Veterans Day ceremony at Matthews-Crawford Post 131 featured the honoring of 20 World War II veterans to commemorate the 70-year anniversary of the end of the fighting in World War II.
Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV, commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, was the guest speaker. Tibbets is the grandson of Enola Gay pilot Col. Paul W Tibbets Jr. Each of the World War II veterans were honored individually with a short bio read on them. Tibbets, with the assistance of Rosie the Riveter (Airman First Class Michaela Slanchik, 509 BW), presented each with an American Legion 100-Year Anniversary coin that the Department of Missouri created. Pictured with Tibbets and Rosie is Post 131 member and Navy veteran Tom King.

Photograph courtesy of AlC Jazmin Smith, 509 BW Public Affairs