News: Abbotsford, Wis. (May 10, 1945) 

Contact: Robert Lipprandt

Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Brown, Cathcart, Gosse, Hanson, Nikolay, Peterson, Ridderbusch, Schreiber, Steffen, Truman 
 

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wisconsin) Wednesday, May 12, 2010, page 2 

Abbotsford, Wisconsin
 

After the unconditional surrender of Germany was announced over the radio at 8:00 o’clock Tuesday morning, by President Truman, there were mingled reactions of thanksgiving and relief. Previously, unauthorized announcements on Monday had prepared listeners for the V-E Day that had finally arrived.   
 

After Tuesday was proclaimed as the day, flags were flying on both sides of the street in the business section. Many felt the job was only half done and work should go on as usual.   
 

About the middle of the morning the following program was given in the high school:  
 

Pledge to the Flag, William Steffen.  
 

Maynard Gosse, Neal Ridderbusch, Charles Cathcart and Bill Brown sang "Field Artillery Song," "Air Corps Song," "Marine Hymn" and "Victory Polka" in honor of the men who fought so valiantly that V-E Day might come in Europe, and who are continuing to fight in the Pacific war zone, that peace may come through-out the world.   
 

Talk, "What An Invasion Costs,"  by Arthur Peterson. 
 

"V" is for Victory," sung by Ethel Hanson. 
 

"A Prayer for Peace," by Carmelita Schreiber.  
 

Talk, "What V-E Day Means,"  by George Nikolay. 
 

"God Bless America," by Maynard Gosse.   
 

Community singing: "Star Spangled Banner" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic." 
 

The schoolchildren, carrying flags and led by the drum and bugle corps, paraded through town in spite of the extremely high and cold wind, mixed with alternative clouds of dust and snow.