THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508100158
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
A Forties-style Saturday night street dance and a Sunday morning service at Veterans Riverfront Park will highlight this weekend's celebration of the 50th anniversary of V-J Day, which marked the end of World War II.
The celebration is a city affair, a special project of Mayor Gloria Webb, who put together a committee of both city employees and citizen volunteers to work on the event.
``I would love to see thousands of our citizens come Downtown to celebrate,'' Webb said.
World War II was an important part of Portsmouth's past, the mayor said, as well as of the nation's history.
``I thought it was something we should do,'' she said. ``A lot of people say we don't do enough for the senior citizens, and this is a good way to tie it all together. This is a community affair and I think it's real neat.''
The street dance at 8 p.m. with music from the World War II years by the Billy Morris Band will cap the Saturday events.
The Red Coats will play period music from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the Tidewater Ballroom Dancers Association will demonstrate dances of the 1940s at 7 p.m.
The activities will begin at 4 p.m. with World War II equipment and re-enactors in the federal parking lot at High and Water streets. In addition, vintage automobiles will be displayed on High Street and the Naval Shipyard's float of the Alabama will be displayed.
The Coast Guard patrol boat Point Huron will be docked at the foot of High Street and open to visitors.
On Sunday morning, the Portsmouth Flag Associates and World War II Veterans will stage a flag ceremony at 7:45 a.m.
Color guard bearers will include five retired veterans: George Rose of the U.S. Army, Gene Abrams of the U.S. Navy, Clyde Toler of the U.S. Marine Corps, Edwin C. Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard and Elwood Warren of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
A wreath will be laid by Charles B. Whitehurst, president of the Flag Associates, and retired Rear Admiral Allen, who will represent all World War II servicemen.
Chaplain David M. Humphreys, retire Navy captain, will give the invocation. The bugler will be James Olgible and Craig Robertson of the Churchland High School faculty will sing the National Anthem and ``God Bless America.''
A non-denominational service, coordinated by the Rev. Ector Hamrick of Port Norfolk Baptist Church, will begin at 8 a.m.
The speaker will be Marine Chaplain John Craver, who served in World War II. A color guard from the Naval Hospital will participate.
All Portsmouth churches have been asked to ring their bells at 9:15 a.m. for five minutes.
The weekend celebration will continue at 4 p.m., when the United States Army Continental Jazz Ensemble will play at the waterfront.
The band will play Big Band music from the 1940s.
All activities are free and open to the public. People are encouraged to take lawn chairs and blankets for the outdoors programs.
Food and beverages will be sold near the park by local businesses.
KEYWORDS: WORLD WAR II
by CNB