Tribute to Dad and Other War Veteran's Who Graciously Serve

I am a daughter

and a veteran's biggest fan

Dad was only twenty-two

what a brave, courageous man

He fought the good fight

so we could live free

All those in uniform

sacrificed dearly for me

His missions were flown

over Germany and France

So we could enjoy freedom

and have half a chance

Thirteen missions flown

by the eighth Army Air-Force

Halesworth, England

would be there 'said course'

Many close calls

would threaten their day

They kept persevering

and made sure to pray

Remember to thank those

who fought despite fear

Not only on Memorial day

but everyday of the year

The passing of the WWII generation

Every day, memories of World War II—its sights and sounds, its terrors and triumphs—disappear. Yielding to the inalterable process of aging, the men and women who fought and won the great conflict are now in their late 80s and 90s. They are dying quickly—according to US Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, only 620,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were alive in 2016.

Honoring the 20th-century veterans’ sacrifice before they pass from the scene is at the forefront of everything we do at The National WWII Museum—from our exhibits, to oral histories, to the Museum’s $370 million expansion, a lasting tribute to the war generation.

“There’s no time to lose,” said Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, President and CEO of the Museum. “We want to be able to finish and dedicate our expansion while we still have members of the Greatest Generation to thank for their sacrifice and service to the nation and to show the world what they mean to the principle of freedom.”