North Texas WWII vet celebrates 101 years as America's greatest generation enters its twilight
NORTH TEXAS – America's greatest generation is dwindling. Less than one percent of the 16 million who served are still alive.
Benjamin Hodges can still sink a putt.
But after what this 101-year-old has seen, there's no pressure on the putting green.
"You're scared and you're hoping you got another breath. From one breath to the next one you don't know if you're going to get it or not," said Hodges, a veteran of the Second World War.
That's how he describes flying bombing missions over Europe. He's had his fair share of close calls, including one mission coming back from a bombing run in Germany.
"We went back to that same place to come back. Well, while we were gone, they moved guns in on railroad cars and they were waiting for us," he said, "They had a shell that was 88 mm that was just to my right. Right on level. The people that patched the plane said we had 500 holes.
He's lucky to be one of the 16 million vets who came home after the war, but those numbers are dwindling.
"The collective memory of these individuals is slowly evaporating said John Curatola, a historian with the WW2 Museum in New Orleans and a Marine Corps veteran.
He says we're losing about 130 WWII vets each day.
"As of last count, which was 2023, there was about 119,000 WWII Vets, according to the VA," he said.
After the war ended Mr. Hodges got married, had kids, grandkids and now great-grandkids. He still thinks about those who didn't come home.
"That's the thing you have to think about, the people that didn't come back and I still think about them. They are the real heroes, they gave their life for this country.
But Mr. Hodges and other veterans like him are heroes too.