At 99 years old, Russell Sattazahn shared his harrowing experience of losing his right hand in an artillery shell explosion while taking cover from enemy fire. Now, he joined over 40 WWII veterans at the American Veterans Center’s annual conference to share their experiences and remember battles fought.
WWII veterans gathered for the first time in years, including Frank Wright, who survived bayonet wounds and machine gun fire, Arlester Brown, who saw a V-1 flying bomb detonate near his camp, and Caster Salemi, who witnessed tank battles in New Guinea. They spoke about their post-war struggles to obtain veterans’ benefits, the traumatic memories they still carry with them, and the importance of sharing their stories.
The event aimed to offer lessons that America’s polarized society can learn from their sacrifice. As one veteran said, “I was over there. I saw the heroes. I came home.” The conference marked what will be one of the last times these veterans gather to share their experiences.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/11/11/world-war-ii-veterans-stories-lessons