RI celebrates Victory Day

It’s the second Monday in August, and that means Rhode Island is recognizing another Victory Day, the only state in the nation to do so.

The day remembers the Japanese surrender during World War Two.

During the war, One in ten Rhode Islanders served and more than 2,000 never made it home, according to Matthew McCoy, with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Rhode Island.

"We have a large number of veterans who are still alive who want to see their service recognized," McCoy said. 

McCoy said that ten percent of veterans in Rhode Island served in World War Two.

But to many, Monday is the random day during the summer where the whole state shuts down.

"Seemed like the streets were open a bit more. I didn’t know if it was because of the weather," said Dylan Cosper.

There have been pushes to consolidate the holiday or just get rid of it altogether, and that still holds true today.

"It would be offensive to me. If I was Japanese and someone said this is victory over your people. Come on," said Christian De la cruz.

 But McCoy believes the holiday is more about education than anything else.

"Make sure that we continue to educate the public about the service and sacrifice of the greatest generation," he said.

Rhode Island made Victory Day a holiday in 1948.

We’ve been the only state to celebrate it since 1975. The last push to end it came in 2013.