Camp Shanks Celebrates 80th Anniversary of V.E. Day

On top of a flagpole in Orangeburg, there is a small green dot. 30 years ago Kevin O’Rourke from the Camp Shanks Museum placed that small dot, which upon further inspection is revealed to be an authentic World War II helmet. The base of the flagpole is a large white star, seemingly plucked from the flag above it, and on that star is a bronze plaque. The plaque is dated 1995 and remembers Victory in Europe Day, or V. E. Day. It was dedicated by the sons and daughters of veterans, and remembers the sacrifice the soldiers made to secure our freedom. O’Rourke created this memorial 30 years ago on the 50th Anniversary of V.E. Day, where he had two Camp Shanks veterans raise the flag. May 8th, 2025, marked 80 years since V. E. Day. 

O’Rourke’s father, who hailed originally from Ireland, had served in World War II himself. He narrowly escaped capture as he fought throughout the European Theater and North Africa, until he ended up just outside of Naples. O’Rourke described a harrowing tale of his father being trapped in a building for days after the Nazis had overrun the small town. At the last minute “The American Fifth Army took the town… He could have been captured or [been] a POW himself!,” exclaimed O’Rourke. It seems as though stories such as these lit a spark inside young O’Rourke that has yet to extinguish. 

80 years ago on V.E. Day, O’Rourke described a celebration the U.S. has not seen since. “At 11 o’clock in the morning, [the announcement] went over the radio airwaves, people came out of their office buildings…down to the street, and nobody went back to work that day… What a celebration that was on that day!”. He recalled asking his father what he did when he heard the news, with his father describing an explosion of festivities lasting more than a week. “‘People were more than friendly,’” O’Rourke said, imitating his father with a great twinkle in his eye. 

Inside the Camp Shanks Museum, there is an endlessly interesting assortment of media and memorabilia, much of it directly from the Camp Shanks Days. One section of the museum is solely dedicated to V. E. Day, replete with pictures and articles remembering the day and the soldiers who left from Camp Shanks.

Camp Shanks Museum director John Gray emphasized the importance of maintaining a connection with local and global history, nodding as he encouraged all to remember history lest we become doomed to repeat it. The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and the museum staff are eager to do their part in educating others interested in learning more, not just about V. E. Day, but about the history that happened right here in Rockland’s backyard. 

Join Camp Shanks in remembering and honoring all those lost on Memorial Day, May 26th at the Pearl River Memorial Day Parade. After Memorial Day, Gray will be opening up the museum for the entire week, from Tuesday to Saturday. Gray encouraged those interested in coming to the museum who might not be able to attend during regular hours to give him a call at  845-304-6809 to work out an appointment.