A Grand Salute! - Yankton Daily Press
On Saturday, World War II vets were given special recognition for the 70th anniversary of the end of the second World War, as part of Riverboat Days theme of "Red, White and Blue: We Salute You. To commemorate this event, a display was put together of war memorabilia donated by veterans and their families in The Old Mill during Riverboat Days. One of these families was the family of Luvern Cwach, who served in the Navy from 1943-1946 as a diesel mechanic in England and a truck/jeep driver in France. Cwach passed away in 2008. It was his wife, Leona Cwach, and daughter, Renee Becker, who donated his war memorabilia to the display. For the event, Becker wore a Bolo tie with a pendant containing an old photograph of her father. "It’s a good tribute to my father and uncles," she said of the display, which contained photos of them as well as uniforms, an old flag, French currency from the 1940s and an ID tag, as well as other mementos. Becker’s mother, Leona, had several relatives in the war. Using the memorabilia prompts stories that people unfamiliar with the war can hear, including one Becker heard her father tell many times. Two military vehicles, a 1944 DUKW and a 1942 Dodge three-ton truck, were on hand for people to pose and take pictures. Source: www.yankton.net
