Words spoken by Winston Churchill: \u201cthe signal for the greatest outburst of joy in the history of mankind\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Weary and worn, impoverished but undaunted and now triumphant, we had a moment that was sublime.<\/span><\/em>\u201d\u00a0 He was speaking of V-E Day in Britain, <\/span>but<\/span> it could have been said of Denver later in 1945 on V-J Day, August 14.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>5-year-old<\/span> boy stood on the corner of 8th Avenue & Sherman Street watching the world go mad. He lived in the corner house at 791 Sherman St., and<\/span> stood between his mother and father outside along the curb. <\/span>On 8th <\/span>Avenue,<\/span> the traffic was bumper to bumper in both directions (8th became a one-way <\/span>years<\/span> later) but barely moving, and car horns drowned out most conversations.<\/span> The boy was mystified, and maybe even frightened a little, as the streets during those war years were rarely, if ever, busy with traffic, certainly nothing like this insanity.<\/span><\/p>\n Drivers and passengers were exiting their cars and shouting happily at folks in other cars.<\/span> They\u2019d shake hands, hug the girls, and drink from bottles that were\u00a0<\/span>being\u00a0passed around<\/span>.\u00a0 The boy understood that somehow this was a celebration, like a super birthday party, as it seemed to fill the whole world in every direction as far as he could see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That boy was me!<\/span><\/p>\n A man approached and handed Dad a brown colored bottle. Dad took it, tipped it back <\/span>and<\/span> drank deeply. I must have smiled or something as the man then <\/span>handed<\/span> it to me. Mom suddenly was standing between us as she shouted at him, and he quickly retreated, bottle in hand. Mom was sure mad about something.<\/span><\/p>\n Specific details of that day fade\u00a0beyond that specific, albeit brief, moment for me.\u00a0I know the party went on until well after dark, as after <\/span>I was put<\/span> to bed, the racket and bright headlights reflecting around the pulled shades kept me awake for a while. Thinking back, I must have been quite happy because everybody was so enraptured. <\/span>Eventually,<\/span> I dozed off and likely had pleasant dreams of cake, balloons, and ice cream.<\/span><\/p>\n V-J Day was the most vivid memory I have of World War II, <\/span>and<\/span> I\u2019m glad it was of such an exciting, joyful moment in our history.<\/span><\/p>\n Harry Puncec, Lakewood<\/em><\/p>\n Re: “Council OKs bond package for November ballot<\/a>,” August 5 news story<\/p>\nThoughtful, thorough work on bond package<\/h4>\n