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RNTLE.
>>> ON A DAY WE SERVE THIS
COUNTRY IN TIMES OF PEACE AND
WAR.
MOST WORLD WAR II VETERANS ARE
IN THEIR 80s AND 90s.
THEY ARE DYING IN A RATE AT
OVER 1200 A DAY.
THERE'S HERCULEAN EFFORT, TO
GET THOSE WHO NEVER SEEN THE
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN PERSON
TO WASHINGTON BEFORE IT IS TOO
LATE.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I NEVER SEEN SO MANY THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
>>> AT 90, RETIRED LIEUTENANT
COLONEL'S HANDS ARE NOT AS
STEADY AS HE ONCE WERE WHEN HE
WAS YOUNG AIRMAN.
THE EYES ARE NOT AS SHARP.
I COULD TELL YOU FIRSTHAND HIS
MEMORY OF WORLD WAR II IS
CRYSTAL CLEAR.
AS KENNETH TELLS ME IT WAS 8th
OF JULY, A MONTH AFTER THE D-
DAY INVASION.
THEN LIEUTENANT WAS FLYING OVER
HIS CREW.
AT 2:30 IN THE MORNING BETWEEN
ABBEVILLE AND AMEN'S, THE ENEMY
FOUND THEM.
>> WE HAD I TELL YOU 100 HOSE
IN THE AIRPLANE.
>> IT WAS CRIPPLED BUT THE NEWS
WAS WORST FOR ONE OF THE CREW.
>> ONE THAT GOT HURT, ENGINEER.
HE GOT A PIECE OF BLACK ONE.
>> SECONDS LATER CAME FROM THE
COMMAND FROM THE CAPTAIN.
>> AFTER HE TOLD US BAIL OUT,
THE BOMB -- WE HAD PLANES TO
THE COCKPIT.
NATURALLY I CLOSED THE DOOR
REAL QUICK.
WENT OUT THERE AND NOSE
WHEELED.
MY LIFE WAS IN THE AIR, AND I
SAW THE PLANE BLEW UP.
>> IT WAS HERE, IN THE
HILLSIDE, WHERE HE LANDED ALL
ALONE.
DOWN THE STREET IN THE FARM
HOUSE IS WHERE A FRENCH FAMILY
HID BROWER UNTIL FRANCE WAS
LIBERATED NEARLY TWO MONTHS
LATER.
FAST FORWARD 66 YEARS AND
RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL WHO
LIVES IN FORT WORTH STILL
TREASURES THE PURPLE HEARTS
HE'S EARNED AND THE AIR FORCE
COMMENDATION.
BEFORE HIS TIME WAS UP, HE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WORLD WAR
II MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> EXCITED TO SEE?
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EMOTIONS.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
LOOKING FORWARD FOR TWO YEARS.
>> TWO YEARS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
LONG THE WAITING LIST IS FOR
HONOR FLIGHT DFW, A NON-PROFIT
DEDICATED TO TAKING AGING
VETERANS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
ALL EXPENSES PAID TO SEE THE
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL, FOR
THEIR FIRST AND LIKELY LAST
TIME.
FORTUNATELY FOR KENNETH, HIS
HEALTH OUTLASTED THE WEIGHT.
>> HOW MANY GUYS HAVE YOU BEEN
ABLE TO CATCH UP THIS MORNING?
>> ABOUT 6:00, 7:00.
>> KENNETH BROWER AND 40 OTHER
TEXAS WWW2 VETS ARE ABOUT TO
LEAVE AN ODYSSEY IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. THAT WILL BRING MANY OF
THE BRAVE MEN TO TEARS.
I WAS HONORED TO DOCUMENT THEIR
JOURNEY AND I HOPE YOU WILL
JOIN ME IN AN EMOTIONAL AND
INSPIRATIONAL TRIBUTE.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT, SINCE I DID
THE TRIP COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IT'S
EVERYTHING YOU COULD IMAGINE
AND MORE.
IT'S AN INTRO THAT'S ABOUT TO
BE LOST.
THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ALL
WE'LL HAVE IS A HISTORY BOOK
INSTEAD OF SOMEONE SITTING NEXT
TO US.
>> I'M WATCHING THE MEN FROM
THE STORY AND I SEE MY FATHER-