By Howard Wilkinson
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Elmer Taylor, 82, holds a photograph of himself from 1943 at his home in Erlanger. On Saturday, he'll be in Washington to help dedicate the new national memorial to WWII veterans. Cincinnati Enquirer/STEVEN M. HERPPICH

On Saturday, Elmer Taylor will find himself in the middle of a sea of people stretching across the National Mall in Washington for more than a mile, from the green space in front of the Capitol to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

But it will not be the biggest mass of people the Erlanger man has been part of.

That happened 60 years ago, when the young soldier from Cincinnati marched across central Europe as part of the Allied invasion force that freed millions from Nazi oppression, crushed Hitler's Wehrmacht and wrote a chapter of world history that is still fresh in the minds of the now-elderly men and women who fought in World War II.

"It will be a day to remember, that's for sure,'' said Taylor, who will drive to Washington today with four friends and family members for the four-day "Tribute to a Generation'' festival.

The event culminates at 2 p.m. Saturday with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall, a ceremony that is expected to draw President Bush, four former presidents and at least 120,000 men and women from across the country who served in WWII.

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WWII PROFILES

Over the last seven weeks, The Enquirer profiled local veterans who served their country during World War II. Charles Butke Grenade explosion ended his 2 years at war Hilda Hines War carried young nurse far away from home John Craven Experience made him an avid historian Andy Byrd Navy vet feels 'lucky' to see memorial Ray Black Marines suffered heavy losses in combat Clifford Park Veteran shares war's horrors with students George Allen Soldier fought Nazi forces and U.S. racism Memories of heroes The veterans of Post 72 can sit and joke about wartime experiences, remembering the best while letting the more disturbing memories stay locked away. • Memorial Day events in Greater Cincinnati

An estimated 2,000 of those people will be veterans from Greater Cincinnati, along with their spouses, children, grandchildren and friends, making a pilgrimage that will remind them not only of their own service, but of the friends and comrades who died in battle.

One tour bus line alone - Croswell Tours, based in Clermont County - is taking 500 veterans and their guests from Southwest Ohio and Southeastern Indiana on 10 buses.

"For a single event, this is the biggest thing we've ever done,'' said Ellen Croswell, director of tours for the bus line. "It was sold out months ago. It's an amazing tribute to this generation, and we're glad to be a part of it.''

More than 30 people from the Colerain Township Senior Center - most of them WWII veterans and their spouses - have chartered a bus from Venture Travel & Tours in Columbus and will depart Friday morning.

Shelby and Virginia Snowden of Colerain Township will be among them.

Mrs. Snowden, a native of St. Louis, is going to honor not only her husband's WWII service in Italy, France and Belgium, but that of her five brothers.

One of her brothers was killed at Iwo Jima in the South Pacific.

Another died on the other side of the world while fighting in Italy.

"It's really long overdue that the country honor these men.'' Mrs. Snowden said. "And it should be done while there are still many of them around to enjoy it. They never asked for thanks, but they deserve it anyway.''

The massive memorial on the mall has been open to the public for nearly a month.

Earlier this month, a large group of Kentucky veterans went to Washington for an early look.

"It was pretty impressive,'' said Art Arnold of Alexandria, who went with a group of fellow WWII veterans from the Lawler-Hanlon VFW Post in Newport. "A lot of us have been waiting for this for a long time. I'm glad I had a chance to see it.''

The veterans who come to Washington will have more to do than wait for Saturday's dedication ceremonies.

A long stretch of the mall just west of the Capitol has been set aside as the "National World War II Reunion'' area, where veterans and their families beginning Thursday can listen to military bands, dance to 1940s swing music, and visit the exhibit tents where they can listen and participate in dozens of panel discussions on the war and the home front.

Among the panel discussions:

• A session with a group of Tuskegee Airmen, the legendary all-black squad of fighter pilots.

• Japanese-Americans in the war.

• Stories of D-Day by the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy 60 years ago.

• A discussion with two former presidential candidates who served - Democrat George McGovern, a bomber pilot, and Republican Bob Dole, an infantryman severely wounded in Italy.

Two Cincinnati women - Helen Colony and Mary O'Driscoll - will be part of a panel discussion Thursday in which they will tell of their experiences as overseas Red Cross volunteers during the war.

For most, the weekend promises to be a time of remembrance.

"We'll all go and have a good time,'' Taylor said. "But we'll remember the buddies who didn't make it. This is for them.''

E-mail hwilkinson@enquirer.com