Celebrating 80 Years of Valor: Aurora World War II Veteran Receives Prestigious Victory Medal

AURORA, Neb. – A special ceremony took place in Aurora on Tuesday to honor a local World War II veteran, Carol Robotham. She received the “Celebrating 80 Years of Victory” Medal as part of a program initiated by Governor Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs. This initiative aims to recognize the living veterans who served during the war.

At the ceremony, Robotham expressed her gratitude. “Thank you so much, I appreciate this,” she said. Though she can no longer walk on her own, the recognition clearly brought her joy.

Lt. Governor Joe Kelly attended the event and shared that Governor Pillen values opportunities to honor veterans. “He feels strongly about saying thank you to the vets every time we can,” said Kelly. “It’s a real honor to be part of this.”

John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veteran’s Affairs, highlighted the significance of honoring veterans like Robotham. “What was achieved by the greatest generation is nothing short of miraculous,” he stated. He noted that around 144,000 Nebraskans served in World War II. This ceremony aims to celebrate their bravery and service.

Hilgert also encouraged Nebraska residents to help identify more World War II veterans for future recognition. More details about this program can be found at https://veterans.nebraska.gov/ww2.