[February 21, 2026] Earlier this week I received an invitation to spend time with a small group of “older Veterans” at an assisted-living home just minutes from my house. I accepted immediately. What I expected was a pleasant hour of conversation. What I received was something far more powerful with these WWII veterans.
Almost every man in the room was a World War II veteran. The youngest was 99. The rest simply called themselves “old.”
One Navy veteran had been aboard the USS Fogg (DE-57) when a German U-boat torpedoed her in December 1944. The ship didn’t sink, but the damage was severe and several crewmen were lost. He quietly described how the crew fought for two grueling days to save her—an effort he called Herculean. Then he added, almost in a whisper, “I don’t like to talk about those days. I lost too many friends.”
Another man, a U.S. Army mess sergeant, had been captured during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and sent to a POW camp adjacent to Buchenwald. He was Jewish. Once the Germans learned his background, his treatment changed dramatically. Before that, his cooking skills had earned him a measure of respect from the guards. Afterward, not so much. He remained a prisoner until the camp was liberated in April 1945.
A third veteran, Ari, had been a young Jewish boy from Romania. He spoke French, a skill that helped him survive. Discovered by the Germans, he was sent to a concentration camp in the early 1940s. When his camp was liberated, he made his way to the newly created state of Israel and was soon drafted into its army for the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He became a translator between French and Israeli forces, remembering how the British withdrew quickly while the French stayed to help. Eventually he found his way to America and the life he built here.
The men had prepared coffee and pastries, set up a microphone, and organized a perfect Q&A format. Even standing close, many struggled to hear without it. They asked thoughtful, probing questions—mostly about today’s Army, what a General actually does, and how combat in Iraq and Afghanistan compared to their experiences in World War II. Their curiosity was genuine and sharp; answering them was both humbling and energizing.
They told me how much they appreciated the visit. I told them the honor was entirely mine.
The only disappointment was the one-hour limit set by the recreation director. It felt far too short for stories this rich. I had been asked to speak about the modern Army, but after a few minutes the conversation naturally shifted to something far more important: simply being a member of the United States military.
I leave next month for another visit—and I can hardly wait.
These men reminded me, once again, why we serve, why we remember, and why their generation still sets the standard for all of us.
Our time together was good for every single one of us.
————
Please read my books:
My dad was a WW2 vet. My uncles too. And many were also in the Korean War. Those were real men that we should be celebrating.
Keep these stories coming our way, Gen. Satterfield. Blessed are you for giving them your time.
Yep, and exactly one of the main reasons that I keep coming back to this website by Gen. Satterfield. ✅
Sir, now this is wonderful, and AMAZIN’ too. These older men and women are, frankly, just not around anymore. In five years from now, they will all be gone. Better get their stories TODAY, or they will be forever lost. As you get more of their experiences, please keep us directly informed. Write something about them. Tell us their stories. I was blessed by having my grandpa in WW2 and Korea. He never told me what happened and forever, I’ll be deprived of what clearly meant something to him. Thank you, Gen. Satterfield.
Please keep us posted. I’d like to know more about your future visits. Don’t forget to keep us in the know about these older gentlemen who are our heroes.
Gen. Satterfield, I have no idea that there are still veterans from World War II still around that could actually be at some kind of meeting/gettogether with you to talk. Talk is something they do miss, and talk with someone who was also a combat veteran. They are talking to someone like them, who actually understands., What kind of things did you discuss? 🫡
Good question. I hope Gen. S answers. I cannot imagine the kind of visit he had. Most of us never will get the opportunity to visit with a WW2 veteran.
Army Captain, it was not the questions they asked, so much as I was there as a Vet and just sitting down and talking to them. That is what they liked. Some said that it was great to just be in the company of other Vets. One of the questions was, “What was it like to be a General?”
Thank you sir for being there for them. 🫡
Our WW2 vets are nearly all gone now. Thank you sir for giving them the attention and respect they deserve.
🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡