Man dedicates decade to preserving WWII veterans' legacies

For the past decade, 28-year-old Rishi Sharma has embarked on a cross-country mission to preserve the legacy of World War II combat veterans. He has interviewed more than 3,000 veterans, dedicating nearly every day for the last 10 years to this singular purpose. His project, "Remember WWII," aims to capture the personal stories and historical significance of this fading generation.

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For the last 10 years, I've been on the mission to interview every single World War II combat veteran. And I've quite honestly spent every single day of the last 10 years doing that.

Sharma's journey began by recording interviews with veterans in his Southern California neighborhood. He has since expanded his reach significantly, meticulously mapping out places to visit and people to meet. He recently interviewed 100-year-old Marine veteran Nils Mockler in Yorktown, New York, who served as a combat intelligence scout and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Mockler described the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima as a profoundly moving experience, stating, "The hair on my arms still stands up when I think about how beautiful it was."

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The hair on my arms still stands up when I think about how beautiful it was.

Sharma's passion for World War II history is personal, not inherited; his parents immigrated from India, and he has no military background. The "Remember WWII" project is funded entirely by donations. Sharma spends hours with each veteran, recording their accounts and then providing the recordings to their families. He emphasizes that these are not just war stories but testaments from "real superhero World War II vets."

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There are real superhero World War II vets out there, and I want to meet them.

With only about 30,000 World War II veterans remaining out of an estimated 700,000 a decade ago, Sharma recognizes the urgency of his mission. He believes that as this generation passes, America will lose more than just stories; it will lose its "moral compass." Sharma asserts that the advice imparted by these veterans silently guides the nation. As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Sharma reminds people that the nation's strength and values are largely indebted to the sacrifices and moral clarity of the WWII generation, often referred to as the "greatest generation."

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Because for so long they have been the moral compass of our society. Just the advice that they impart silently steers the ship of this country.