LOS ANGELES (KABC) — They’re referred to as “The Best Technology” for a cause, however because the years stretch on, the variety of dwelling World Conflict II veterans is dwindling.
However, a Southern California artist is paying tribute to the surviving service women and men, and he has a particular birthday present for an area military veteran who’s about to show 100 years outdated.
“Day after day, the shells simply barely missed me,” Sgt. John T. “Jack” Moran mentioned.
That’s how U.S. Military and World Conflict II veteran Moran recalled his fight days.
“In my platoon, we had 33 males, solely two of us got here again,” he mentioned. He was awarded a Purple Coronary heart and Bronze Star for his bravery in fight.
“Explosions, rifle bullets, machine gun bullets, I’ve to consider that God needed me dwelling, needed me again,” Moran mentioned.
Moran is popping 100 years outdated subsequent week, and he can nonetheless recall what it was like preventing within the trenches of World Conflict II.
“We had been chilly on a regular basis. We had been hungry on a regular basis. We had been scared on a regular basis,” he mentioned.
Final week in Westlake Village, Moran reconnected with Steven Brousseau, an area artist who has a ardour for interviewing and illustrating World Conflict II veterans.
“In a approach, it is like a window into the previous,” Brousseau mentioned. “A window into what it was prefer to be there firsthand.”
The pair first met in 2018 and stayed in contact over time. With Moran’s a hundredth birthday simply days away, Brousseau had a really particular present for the veteran — a portrait of Moran, with one facet displaying a younger soldier and the opposite facet depicting the skilled veteran.
“Did you draw this?” Moran requested.
“I did,” Brousseau replied.
“Very lucky that this child lived lengthy sufficient to be this particular person right here,” Moran mentioned, pointing to each side of the image.
It is a touching present that the previous military sergeant says he’ll treasure without end.
“Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. I recognize this very a lot,” he mentioned with a smile.
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