In less than the time it takes to read this article, America will lose another member of the Greatest Generation. Four hundred more will die by the time you finish your lunch tomorrow. Sadly, only one out of 16 men and women who served our nation in World War II are still with us today. Most are in their 90s and the Veterans Administration predicts they will no longer be with us in about 20 years.

Each year the USS Midway Museum is host to a major Battle of Midway commemoration and a Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony. We cherish each year when survivors of both can still attend.

Now, on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the museum is planning a major community celebration on August 15. Plans are being developed now for weekend-long activities, headlined by a community celebration Saturday night, called “Thanks for the Memories.”

It will feature a variety show of entertainers from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. They will feature entertaining lookalikes, including Bob Hope, Judy Garland, The Andrews Sisters, Carmen Miranda, and possible others. They will be accompanied by a local Victory Swing Band. Dancing, dancing lessons are included and vintage attire will be encouraged.

Even more important, every World War II veteran in San Diego that Midway can locate will be invited as a guest of the museum. For the general public, the cost will be $45 per couple, $25 for singles. Light appetizers will be included in a massive celebration and tribute to the Greatest Generation. Check www.midway.org in late June for ticket-ordering information.

Here’s an insider’s look at some of the other weekend aspects the Museum is investigating:
• WWII-vintage car show on Navy Pier
• Displays from Camp Pendleton and MCRD
• A WWII-era concert for museum guests during the day
• WWII-era newsreels
• Photo exhibit

The USS Midway was commissioned on September 10, 1945, only a few weeks after the end of World War II. Built in only 17 months in the rush for it to enter the war as the most powerful ship the world had ever seen, instead it fell to Midway to preserve the hard-fought peace at the dawn of the Cold War. Midway became the only carrier to serve the entire length of the Cold War and beyond.

Nearly every day, World War II veterans visit Midway and the museum has nearly 20 WWII vets who regularly volunteer to share their wartime experiences with the museum’s guests. They are among the most popular and inspirational aspects of visiting the USS Midway Museum.

Similarly, the museum often welcomes former Midway sailors, officers, and Marines aboard who were members of the original 1945 plankowner crew. On many occasions museum staffs have heard them tell a grandchild or great grandchild “This is where I learned how to become a man.”

It’s that legacy that the Museum staff and volunteers work to preserve. In fact, 700 volunteers aboard Midway contribute more than 225,000 hours annually, many of them inspired by the Greatest Generation and all who serve America in uniform.

The legacy of the Greatest Generation has inspired all those who have worn our nation’s uniform in the ensuing 70 years. Subsequent generations of men and women—and the families who support them—have extended the legacy of service to country and community.

August 15 will perhaps be one of the last opportunities to literally walk up and shake the hand of the Greatest Generation. That weekend promises to be very special and Saturday night truly will be magical. In the coming weeks, additional information will be posted at www.midway.org