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WWII Veterans Celebrate the Spirit of 1945

Dania Maxwell/Staff Helmi McHardy shields her face from the hot summer sun at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. In 1943, McHardy was a Rosier the Riveter. She worked in a factory in Detroit, building wings for B-47 and B-29 Thunderbolts during World War II. 'I was laid off when the war ended and then I went to beauty school,' McHardy said.

Photo by DANIA MAXWELL

Dania Maxwell/Staff Helmi McHardy shields her face from the hot summer sun at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. In 1943, McHardy was a Rosier the Riveter. She worked in a factory in Detroit, building wings for B-47 and B-29 Thunderbolts during World War II. "I was laid off when the war ended and then I went to beauty school," McHardy said.

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  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Bob McDonald, veteran of the Army Air Corps, plays the trumpet for attendees at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive listen to the national anthem at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Helmi McHardy, left, sits with Ray Jacobs, right, at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. In 1943, McHardy was a Rosier the Riveter. She worked in a factory in Detroit, building wings for B-47 and B-29 Thunderbolts during World War II. 'I was laid off when the war ended and then I went to beauty school,' McHardy said.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Katherine Nolan keeps the memory of her husband, James, inside her wallet. They met before being sent to different countries during World War II. They were married after two years of sending letters to one another. Nolan worked as a combat nurse during WWII.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Katherine Nolan worked as a combat nurse during WWII. She has come out to the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 to support WWII veterans for the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive. Nolan was one of nearly 60,000 who served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Ray Jacobs, left, meets Chief William C. Carl, right, of the U.S. coastguard at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive listen to the national anthem at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. Jacobs served 3 years during World War II.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Attendees at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive listen to the national anthem at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. The event is a national initiative to honor past and present veterans.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Bob McDonald, veteran of the Army Air Corps, stands for a portrait at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla.
  • Dania Maxwell/Staff Helmi McHardy shields her face from the hot summer sun at the 3rd annual Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 10, 2012 in Naples, Fla. In 1943, McHardy was a Rosier the Riveter. She worked in a factory in Detroit, building wings for B-47 and B-29 Thunderbolts during World War II. 'I was laid off when the war ended and then I went to beauty school,' McHardy said.

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