A 101-year-old World War II veteran flew to Colorado this week to commission his grandson at the young man’s Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. The photos from the event are simply wonderful.
Army Air Force veteran Walter Kloc commissioned his grandson Joseph Kloc.
Let’s think about our historical moments for a second. This is almost certainly the last time a WWII vet will participate in their grandson or granddaughter’s commissioning ceremony. Hell, it’s probably the last time a WWII veteran will participate in a great-grandson or great-granddaughter’s commissioning ceremony.
Walter’s appearance in Colorado Springs was an increasingly rare opportunity for the next generation of military officers to connect with their WWII predecessors.
Walter’s son (and Joseph’s dad) William traveled with his dad from Amherst, New York for the graduation. William told local TV station WGRZ that Walter served as both a bombardier and a pilot for the Army Air Force during WWII.
Just how old is Walter? When he was born, the United States was fighting in World War I. He’s so old that he was able to enjoy an automotive industry career with General Motors. He likely retired in the early 1980s, long before many of you were even born.
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