Reflections of Sacrifice from Local World War II Veterans During Honor Flight

The local World War II veterans who visited Washington, DC this week with the Central Valley Honor Flight had the opportunity to reflect on their time in the military. They served in a time when there were few means to communicate with family back at home. Many of the veterans gave an insight to what they witnessed and gave up, when the world was at war.

Lester Doyel, a WWII veteran from Strathmore said on Wednesday while the group was at the Arlington National Cemetery, "We have something that no other country in the world has had. And, we’re all united for one cause, and it’s just something, it just brings tears to your eyes to be part of this."

The veterans were given a front row to the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Cemetery. The grounds were filled with white markers of all those fallen soldiers.

"I’m certainly a privileged individual today to be standing here," reflected Doyel.

Doyel, who is now 89-years old, served in the Army Signal Corp. At 18, he said goodbye to the life he knew, and left for the Phillipines and New Guinea.

"Here I was, an 18-year old kid that went off to war in the South Pacific. It’s just uh, I was fortunate to come back home, but I lost several classmates in the war," stated Doyel.

As Doyel stood in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial, he recalled what he felt as he saw the sand on the beach head at Iwo Jima, stained with the blood of US Marines cut down in one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific campaign against Japan.
　
Doyel said, "What comes back to mind and to me is the terrible amount of bloodshed that our fellows shed in achieving the victory of WWII."

Allen Rasmussen, a 93-year old veteran from Fresno shared his story of how he married his sweetheart Millie only two weeks before his call to duty as a combat medic.

"It was hard to leave my wife, but I did. And, I put all my faith in God to take care and he did. I didn’t get a scratch," said Rasmussen.

And for that, Rasmussen continues to be grateful, to spend his days with his daughter and 67 of his brothers and sisters in Washington, DC.