FORT LEE, Va. (Aug 31, 2017) -- Remembrances of World

FORT LEE, Va. (Aug 31, 2017) -- Remembrances of World War II are quickly fading with the passing of those “Greatest Generation” military members offering the last firsthand accounts of the struggles, horrors, triumphs and personal sacrifices marking a war that killed millions, including 600,000 Americans.
Those who made contributions to the 20th Century’s greatest event – nonagenarians if they are still alive – offer unique insights that are sometimes forgotten or dismissed by history books as either inconsequential or insignificant.
Still, many have downplayed their wartime roles, declining to make mention of their experiences or brushing it off as a civic responsibility – what one should do when duty calls.
Count 99-year-old Richard Bell Jr. as one of those holding true to what journalist and author Tom Brokaw defined the “Greatest Generation” – those who embraced values of service and humility along with an understated sense of pride.