{"id":3998,"date":"2017-05-04T12:59:09","date_gmt":"2017-05-04T16:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/?p=3998"},"modified":"2025-04-18T10:42:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T14:42:16","slug":"flags-flap-as-wwii-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/flags-flap-as-wwii-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"Flags flap as WWII ends"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Americans<\/a>
Americans waving American Flags<\/a> in New York City jam Times Square on V-E Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On May 8, 1945, the date World War II ended in Europe, a Pennsylvania soldier wrote home to his wife, Mary. He wanted to tell her about the flags he saw that day and the emotions he felt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pfc. Marshall Line, 32, who was stationed with an air squadron in England, reminded her in his letter that \u201cjust twenty-one months ago today our ship was pulling out of New York harbor, headed for some destination and adventure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, he continued, \u201cflags of victory are waving in almost every country except Germany, Italy and Japan and we hope that soon Japan will no longer have any flag to wave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Jubilant<\/a>
Jubilant British citizens wave flags on V-E Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recounting his morning, he told her, \u201cI arose at 6:10 and by 7:00 had eaten breakfast and shaved. This was our day to get PX supplies.\u201d On his way to pick up what was needed, he wrote, \u201cflags and pennants<\/a> were exhibited on almost every building and the happy looks on every face were very evident.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When he returned to camp, four letters from Mary and two from his parents awaited him, buoying his spirits even more, if that was possible on a day of peace and pennants.<\/span><\/p>\n

In one of her letters, Mary told Marshall that she had new photos of herself and would send them to him. But, in his view, that was no longer necessary. \u201cPerhaps,\u201d he advised her, \u201cyou had better keep [them] until my next permanent address is established.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Soldiers<\/a>
Soldiers display a captured Nazi flag.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perhaps he hoped that the address was their house, and she would hand him the pictures in person.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>Closing his letter, Marshall told her, \u201cHoney, since we can\u2019t celebrate this V-day together I am postponing this privilege until sometime in the future. This night I\u2019ll be thinking of you and praying for your continuing courage and love.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Signing off as \u201cyour loving husband and devoted life companion,\u201d he gave her a new nickname: \u201cMy little V-package.\u201d At the bottom of the missive, he signed her pet name for him: Patsy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marshall wasn\u2019t shipped back to the U.S. until February 1946. Mary died 40 years later, and he passed away in 2001.<\/span><\/p>\n

We can assume that a flag draped his coffin<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On May 8, 1945, the date World War II ended in Europe, a Pennsylvania soldier wrote home to his wife, Mary. He wanted to tell her about the flags he saw that day and the emotions he felt. Pfc. Marshall Line, 32, who was stationed with an air squadron in England, reminded her in his… continue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[28,423,114],"class_list":["post-3998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-lessons","tag-american-flags","tag-v-e-day","tag-wwii"],"yoast_head":"\nFlags flap as WWII ends - Gettysburg Flag Works Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/flags-flap-as-wwii-ends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Flags flap as WWII ends - Gettysburg Flag Works Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"On May 8, 1945, the date World War II ended in Europe, a Pennsylvania soldier wrote home to his wife, Mary. 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