On June 9, 1945, as part of a World War II Welcome Home Tour, General George S. Patton Jr. and Lieutenant General James Doolittle were the guests of honor at a ceremony held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Beginning the day with a parade throughout the city, which yielded nearly one million Angelenos in attendance, the event was led by master of ceremony, comedian Jack Benny, and kicked off with Judy Garland singing “God Bless America.” Over 100,000 people gathered at the Coliseum in the evening for reenactments of battles with tanks, B-25 warplanes, and actors in military uniforms, a musical variety show, readings by legendary members of the Hollywood community including Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis, and a spectacular light show to honor the fallen soldiers who gave their lives to protect and serve the United States of America.