Joplin veteran received an early birthday present when victory in Europe was declared

It was the news William H. Osborn had hoped for since the United States had entered the war against the Axis powers- Germany had surrendered.

It was the best early birthday present Osborn, a retired Joplin hardware store owner who had seen action in another bloody war, could have asked for.

"I prayed God every night that I might live to see the day when these tyrants were put in their place," Osborn said.

Osborn, following his typical early breakfast of coffee and eggs at his home at 2201 Pennsylvania, pored over every word in the Joplin Globe, which had a page one completely covered with stories of the concluding war in Europe and the continuing struggle with Japan.








"150,000 GERMANS SURRENDER," the banner headline read.


The news included an Associated Press report of the liberation of 21,000 Allied prisoners including 4,100 American airmen that included the mention of a Joplin airman Frank Putnam, son of Mr. and Mrs D. W. Putnam, 521 N. Maiden Lane, who had been held by the Nazis since October 14, 1943 after being shot down during a bombing mission over the German ball-bearing factory at Schweinfurt.

Putnam was one of five Joplin airmen who had been held in the same camp, along with Sgt. Lee A. McKee, Sgt. Robert Sandy, Sgt. Powell McDaniel and Sgt. Ralph Baker.

After reading every word of the Globe's coverage in the morning, after a busy day, W. H. Osborn had dinner with his wife and then followed his evening ritual of reading the afternoon Joplin News Herald and enjoying a good cigar.

"I can always get the newspaper," he lamented, "but it's mighty hard nowadays to get the accompanying good cigar."

The news that the war in Europe was won was just the beginning of a memorable weekend for Osborn.








More than 100 people came to help Osborn celebrate his birthday Sunday, followed by a surprise dinner at the Christian Church. The Osborns had made a lot of friends during the 20 years they had lived in Joplin.

On Tuesday morning, Osburn listened as President Truman declared Victory in Europe. The next step was victory over Japan.

Osburn hoped he would live long enough to see that day.

And when that portion of World War II came to a close three months later, Osborn rejoiced.

He lived for another three and a half years before he was killed in an accident October 28, 1948, just a few months after taking a train to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he met with others who had served in the war.

The pews of the First Christian Church were filled for Osborn's funeral as Joplin residents paid tribute to a much beloved citizen who until his death at the age 105 years, five months and 21 days had been the city's sole surviving veteran of the Civil War.

(Sources for this post were 1944 and 1948 issues of the Joplin News-Herald and Joplin Globe and William Osborn's death certificate.)









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VE Day, this day 75 years ago, was also the birthday of President Harry S. Truman, who was born May 8, 1884, in Lamar. That story, as well as the connection between the president and the town are told in The Buck Starts Here: Harry S. Truman and the City of Lamar, available in paperback and e-book at the links below.