Service and sacrifice honored as 78 New York vets visit Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWNY) – 95-year-old Chuck McCarthy of Syracuse has by no means been a rule follower. When the United States entered World War II, he dropped the whole lot to enlist.

“Well, I went in in 1944. I was 17-years-old. And I had to get into the war. I quit high school before I graduated just to get in there,” stated McCarthy.

During his time combating for the allies, he was charged with ensuring his wounded comrades made it house.

“They made me a medic and put me in the Fleet Marines to take care of them. The greatest bunch of fighters in the world,” stated McCarthy.

Saturday, he was joined by 4 different surviving World War II veterans, visiting the memorial erected of their honor.

With COVID-19 grounding these honor flights for the previous two years, many of those veterans by no means acquired to board these flights.

According to the National World War II Museum, there are fewer than 167 thousand World War II veterans nonetheless residing. That’s down from 240 thousand this time final 12 months, with an estimated 180 dying every day.

McCarthy says he’s honored to be part of Saturday’s residing historical past.

“I’m very proud to be here with them. I owe a lot to the rest of the boys, too,” stated McCarthy.

For Rocky Pirro, an Air National Guardsman from Syracuse who served within the 1940′s, it’s a day he’ll always remember.

“This is a pleasure, and a real tribute,” stated Pirro.

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