American Legion To Honor US, Soviet Veterans Of World War II From New York - Activist

The American Legion will honor one Soviet and four US veterans of World War II who are living in upstate New York, Russian Youth of America member Anton Konev told Sputnik on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th May, 2023) The American Legion will honor one Soviet and four US veterans of World War II who are living in upstate New York, Russian Youth of America member Anton Konev told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"On Thursday, there is going to be a celebration with American veterans. There are only four of them in our region who survived still and one of them, Harold Williams, will have his 100th birthday celebration at the event," Konev said.

The American Legion has invited the only Soviet veteran from the area, Daniel Kaplan, but unfortunately he will not be able to attend due to health issues, Konev said.

"But Mr. Kaplan will be recognized during the event," Konev said.

Konev said he visited Kaplan on May 9, when most of the former Soviet republics celebrated Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, and together they watched the broadcast of the parade on Red Square in Moscow.

"I also congratulated two survivors of the blockade of Leningrad. One of them is 96 years old and another one is going to be 101 later this year. This holiday is very important for them because they survived when many of their classmates and friends did not," Konev added.

The United States and its European allies commemorated the 78th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on May 8. Since the document on Germany's unconditional surrender was signed in 1945 when the new day had already begun in Moscow, Russia and almost all of the former Soviet republics celebrate Victory Day on May 9.