South Carolinians gathered Tuesday on the north steps of the Statehouse to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, honoring the sacrifices of a generation and recognizing Willie White of Manning, the Midlands’ only living WWII veteran.
White, who turned 101 this year, is no stranger to Clarendon County readers, where his milestone birthdays have been celebrated in recent years. At the ceremony, he shared his memory of the day the war ended. “Everybody got on the floor and kissed the floor, glad it was over with,” White recalled.
The program began at 11 a.m. with the posting of the colors by the University of South Carolina Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance, and an invocation by Chaplain (Col.) Samuel J.T. Boone, U.S. Army (Ret.). Dignitaries included Rep. Doug Gilliam, chair of the House Military Caucus; Sen. Jeffrey Graham; and Irmo Town Councilman Gabriel Penfield.
Speakers included Dr. Bernard L. DeKoning, a retired U.S. Army colonel and former chief of staff for the Columbia VA Healthcare System; historian Orville Vernon Burton of Clemson University; George Frierson of the Mary McLeod Bethune Learning Center; author Mike Bedenbaugh; Elaine Frick of the Columbia Peace Pole Initiative; Rep. Lonnie Hosey; SC Department of Natural Resources Director Thomas Mullikin; and retired Maj. Gen. Todd McCaffrey, now Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Fort Jackson Army Band performed a musical tribute, and portraits of South Carolina legislators who served in WWII — including Strom Thurmond, Herbert Fielding, and three former House speakers — were displayed as their families were recognized.
Beyond the formal program, wreaths were laid at memorials including the USS Columbia CL-56 memorial, “The Sailor” statue by Camden artist Maria Kirby-Smith, the China-Burma-India Veterans seal, and the Columbia Peace Pole.
For White, the day was a reminder of perseverance. “Do your best. Do your best for your country, and you will always have good luck,” he told WIS-TV. “I reckon y’all can see that today, I had good luck.”
A Clarendon County native, White once worked as a grocery delivery boy in Manning before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He returned home decorated with medals and went on to co-own Mercury Cleaners, running the business until retiring at 85. In 2024, the S.C. Senate passed a resolution honoring his service and contributions to the state.
Event organizer Catherine Fleming Bruce, director of Tnovsa Global Commons, encouraged South Carolinians to preserve veterans’ legacies. “Seek out your monuments and historic sites in your city or county,” she said. “Make sure they’re being recognized … and that veterans are getting what they need.”
The ceremony concluded with the retirement of the colors and the announcement of a new digital archive dedicated to South Carolina WWII monuments and historic sites.
