THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 9, 1995 TAG: 9505090247
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Fifty years ago, the world was Bernard Kofira's stage. He witnessed history firsthand while marching through the streets of Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, celebrating the Allied troops' victory in Europe.
On Monday, the retired warrant officer took his place before a much smaller crowd assembled a half-century later for the same occasion at the Fleet Combat Training Center at Dam Neck.
``Please bear with me,'' the 71-year-old Norfolk resident said as he strode to the lectern inside the base chapel. ``It takes a while to walk up, not like 50 years ago when you hit the ground, rolled around, fired a few shots and moved on.''
But Kofira's gait was steady, his memories clear and his voice firm as he shared his recollections of V-E Day during Monday's ceremony commemorating the end of World War II.
On May 7, 1945, Kofira's unit, Company D, 303rd Regiment, 97th Infantry Division, moved into Pilsen. Kofira remembers that they thought they were going to continue on through Czechoslovakia to Germany. But, as he describes it, `` `The powers that be' decided to stop at Pilsen. The Russians would take over from there.''
Kofira's unit had been in action on April 28, before heading on to Pilsen. They didn't see much fighting after that; they'd heard on the radio the war would probably be over in a few days. While in Pilsen, they got the news they'd been waiting for: The Allies had defeated the Axis powers, and Germany had surrendered. The war in Europe was over.
``We walked into Pilsen,'' Kofira recalled Monday, ``and it was a grand celebration. The people of Czechoslovakia were liberated. They were very happy; it was a sight to see. They had flags flying.''
Still, it wasn't yet over for Kofira.
``We only stayed a couple of days and then, boom, we were in Germany, France and the U.S.,'' he said. ``By August, we were in the Pacific. It was a pretty good piece of logistics. Thanks to our good friend, President Truman, we didn't have to go to Japan. We arrived in Okinawa and it was all over.''
Kofira stayed in the Army and later the reserves, retiring after 42 years.
On Monday, he had some advice for ``the powers that be'' today.
``As an old coot from World War II, I only ask one thing,'' he said. ``Give young people in the service today good leaders.''
And to those leaders, he added:
``Quit downsizing the military. Give them the weapons they need. Don't send them in to do a job you don't want to win. The people in the military are winners.
``Don't give them politicians who are losers.''
After Kofira's remarks, Congressman Owen B. Pickett paid tribute to Kofira and others like him who served their country. Pickett, a Democrat whose 2nd District encompasses Norfolk and Virginia Beach, also remembered those who didn't make it back. And, like Kofira, he expressed confidence in the ability of today's military personnel to defend freedom as their predecessors did.
The ceremony, co-sponsored by the base and VFW Tidewater Post 4809, concluded with the placing of a wreath at the front of the chapel.
Afterward, Kofira confessed that he hadn't talked much about the war in the 50 years since it ended. He and his wife, Martha, who died 13 years ago, raised three daughters; he now has six grandchildren.
He has not shared his memories of the war with them - although, he said, he may record some of his recollections on tape. He pulled from his pocket a letter, written to his sister May 16, 1945. It contained only routine comments about mundane, day-to-day concerns.
``We had a job to do,'' he explained. ``We did it and forgot it. We just hoped that whomever went after us did the same job.''
KEYWORDS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD WAR II V-E DAY by CNB