Almost 70 years ago, on May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered, thus ending World War II in Europe.
But, despite the passage of seven decades since V-E Day, young Liza Wesseloh, a German foreign exchange student studying at Otis-Bison High School, was nervous about meeting American WW II veterans.
What would they think of her and her homeland?
How would they treat her?
She had nothing to fear. All those apprehensions were laid to rest Friday as she joined other students, foreign and local, to came face to face with aging vets who held no grudges and were eager to share their stories.
The students, taking part in the eighth-annual KansasWorks office annual Veterans Appreciation Day at the Best Western Angus Inn, sat or stood and listened. The veterans, some wearing portions of their uniforms, made history come to life.
“It was interesting to hear their experiences,” Wesseloh said. “It was good.”
 Wesseloh was one of a trio of foreign students from Otis-Bison. She was joined by Laura Mascheri of Italy and Quy Vo of Vietnam.
Mascheri said It helped her learn more about the war and about America. The Italian student said she had a relative who had been imprisoned by the Germans at the infamous Dachau concentration camp.
The event was not only an opportunity for the vets to pass their tales on to the young people from area schools, but also a chance for the brothers in arms to swap stories with one another. They sat around tables and shot the breeze.
The former service personnel were thankful for the celebration. “It’s kind of flattering,” said John Klema who served as an Army medic in the European Theater during World War II.
Around the courtyard, flags representing the difference services hung from the balcony. Mannequins dressed in different military period uniforms stood at attention.
Artifacts, insignias and other military equipment were laid out on tables. Restored military vehicles sat parked outside where American flags whipped in the gusty wind.
Veterans represented Pearl Harbor, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and other conflicts.
In addition, there was a free luncheon for the veterans and a presentation by guest speaker Eric Rohleder, Western Region supervisor of veteran offices and enhanced mobile programs.
This was Ed Scott’s fourth effort at coordinating the event, which takes place annually prior Veteran’s Day. Scott, KansasWorks veterans employment representative, is himself 12-year Air Force veteran.
“This has grown again,” Scott said, adding it keeps getting bigger each year. With the students, there over 100 in attendance Friday.
The average has been between 60 and 80. “We did have a good turnout,” Scott said.
Scott’s job is to help vets in 63 western Kansas counties find jobs. The KansasWorks office, which falls under the Kansas Department of Commerce but gets funding from the United States Department of Labor, also has specialists who help them with other employment-related programs.