Known as the “Greatest Generation,” veterans of World War II helped shape world history.

Over 60 years since the first men and women left the United States to fight in both Europe and the Pacific, time has taken its toll on the veterans of this conflict, claiming more than 1,000 every day, making this “Greatest Generation” a disappearing one.

In honor of Memorial Day, the American Journal spoke to some of these local veterans, giving them a chance to share their experiences and stories, of a time that to many, exists only in the history books and old movies.

Sadly, one of the subjects interviewed for the story, Harris “Had” Parsons of Gorham, passed away before it could be published, driving home the point that the “Greatest Generation” is rapidly shrinking.

Every generation loses its heroes, time makes that inevitable. There is no one alive today to provide a first-hand account of the battles of Lexington and Concord, to describe the scene of George Washington’s first inauguration, to tell us what the Liberty Bell sounded like before it cracked or to describe the horrors of the Gettysburg battlefield after one of the bloodiest battles in American history.

Fortunately, because World War I and to a much greater extent, World War II were the first truly modern wars, we have a much better record of those eras. The History Channel is loaded with footage from World War II, painting a pretty accurate picture of the war and life on the home front.

But grainy movies are no substitute for hearing about events from people who actually lived through them. Hearing Westbrook’s Leo Couture describe what he saw when his ship was attacked by a Japanese fighter plane on Oct. 13, 1944, hits home like no documentary ever could.

“He came right out of a rain squall. He was 10 feet off the water, under radar,” Couture said. “He sneaked through. I could see his face…Oh, was I scared.”

Or, there are the touching stories, like Parsons and his wife, Ruth. Both served in the military during the war, he in Europe and she in Pearl Harbor. Even though they were thousands of miles apart, they still found a way to stay in touch. Parsons even went as far as to mail his wife a rose, a token of love that Ruth Parsons still has 68 years later.

It’s stories like those that are in danger of being lost forever, not vital enough for the history books, but important just the same.

With the youngest members of the World War II generation about 79 years old, it won’t be long before their voices are silenced forever. Thankfully, we can still hear their stories and the stories of all the other living veterans, from the Korean War to the war in Iraq.

On Memorial Day this Monday, take time out to remember those veterans who sacrificed their lives for their country, but also consider taking the time to thank those who served who are still alive.

Because before long, the “Greatest Generation” will be a part of history.

Mike Higgins, assistant editor