For 44 years, members of the 324th Infantry Regiment have been getting together to celebrate life and honor their fallen comrades.Bellevue hosted the World War II veterans this year.”About ten years ago or so, we never talked about the war,” Myron Roker, one of the veterans, said. “But then we decided that part of history would be lost if we didn’t, also as far as me, and I’m sure other veterans, we found it to be therapy for us.”Roker served overseas from Sept. 1944 to July 1945. Although Roker did not know him at the time, Ray Terwillegar also served, spending roughly five months overseas.The two men have become friends since attending the reunion of their infantry regiment.”What really hits me is I’m really glad to see our comrades,” Terwillegar said.The reunion takes place over a full weekend but is wrapped up with a memorial service Sunday honoring fellow veterans who have died.”There’s so many, so many, of your real good friends that you came with that are not here today, they didn’t make it back,” Terwillegar said.Roker says only eight men of their infantry are alive today. He and Terwillegar are the only two who attended this year’s reunion. “It means everything, it’s like a brother,” Roker said.Past reunions have been held in Nashville, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Kansas City, among others.
For 44 years, members of the 324th Infantry Regiment have been getting together to celebrate life and honor their fallen comrades.
Bellevue hosted the World War II veterans this year.
“About ten years ago or so, we never talked about the war,” Myron Roker, one of the veterans, said. “But then we decided that part of history would be lost if we didn’t, also as far as me, and I’m sure other veterans, we found it to be therapy for us.”
Roker served overseas from Sept. 1944 to July 1945. Although Roker did not know him at the time, Ray Terwillegar also served, spending roughly five months overseas.
The two men have become friends since attending the reunion of their infantry regiment.
“What really hits me is I’m really glad to see our comrades,” Terwillegar said.
The reunion takes place over a full weekend but is wrapped up with a memorial service Sunday honoring fellow veterans who have died.
“There’s so many, so many, of your real good friends that you came with that are not here today, they didn’t make it back,” Terwillegar said.
Roker says only eight men of their infantry are alive today. He and Terwillegar are the only two who attended this year’s reunion.
“It means everything, it’s like a brother,” Roker said.
Past reunions have been held in Nashville, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Kansas City, among others.
