On May 7, 1945, Germany learned that Raymond Jones of Seaboard, North Carolina, would turn 18 the next day and enlist in the U.S. Army. Rather than face THAT, Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, France, to take effect the following day, ending the European conflict of World War II – and sparing my father from having to open a big old can of U.S. whoop &*^# on’em.