WWII Ended

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="057285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <B>VP-21 & VPB-111 Veterans Association</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="056d2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New"><U>Whats New?</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VP21 VPB111 VETERANS ASSOCIATION"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="gibraltar_straits.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar"><U>Calendar</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission"><U>Mission</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Association Officers Board Of Directors"><U>Association Officers</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="rosters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rosters"><U>Rosters</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://vp-21.org/history" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://vp-21.org/history"><U> History</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newsletter"><U>Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://vp-21.org/biographies" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://vp-21.org/biographies"><U>Biographies/ Profiles</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photo Gallery"><U>Photo Gallery</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Museum"><U>Museum</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SMALL STORES"><U>Small Stores</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/guestbook/show.php?usernum=1314220711" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/guestbook/show"><U>GuestBook</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reunion 2009"><U>Reunion Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Departed Shipmates"><U>Departed Shipmates</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1314220711&cpv=1" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/forum/show.php"><U>Message Board</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/chat/show.php?usernum=1314220711&cpv=1http://images.bravenet.com/brpics/chatnow.gifhttp://www.bravenet.com/http://images.bravenet.com/brpics/chatbutt.gif" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/chat/show.php?"><U>ScuttleBut Quarters</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Other Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lost Found"><U>Lost&Found</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>The Day WW II Ended</U></B></div> <bR> <div> N<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >avy Patrol Squadron VPB-111 was based on Palawan Island in the southwestern Philippine Islands in 1945.  Patrols were flown daily using PB4Y-2 (Privateer) aircraft over the South China Sea to Borneo, Indo China, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore and the Celebes.  I was a gunner on one of those aircraft. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> The base had a movie theater consisting of a screen and planks over stumps for seating, all open to the tropical night, rain or moonlight.  The night the war ended, many of the personnel that were not still out on patrol were watching the movie (I've forgotten what the movie was).  The movie was abruptly cut off to many groans and hoots that were immediately replaced with cheers and standing ovations when the announcement soaked through that Japan had just surrendered.</div> <bR> <div> Wild celebrations continued through the night and the movie was forgotten.  Every gun was being fired in the air, filling the night sky with tracers.  We hoped crews returning from patrol were warned that the base was not under attack.  A service was held in the chapel and was well attended.  Then the high jinks and celebrations resumed.</div> <bR> <div> Patrols continued and our crew patrolled the Malay States August 17.  Everyone was at high alert not knowing what the Japanese response in the remote fringes of the empire would be, whether they would recognize the surrender on not.  We continued to patrol in assigned areas until departing for the States on October 28.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 4 of the crew of 12 are still alive, 1 in SD, 1 in AZ, 1 in TX and 1 in FL </div> <bR> <div> Carl Bartelt</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>