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WWII Vets Gather On Anniv. Of Pearl Harbor To Take Virtual Honor Flight To D.C. Memorial

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PLANTATION (CBSMiami) – Anyone alive on December 7, 1941, remembers the horror of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the stirring words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt calling it "a date which will live in infamy."

Melvin Weinstein certainly hasn't forgotten the attack.

"It hurts right here to know what happened,' he said, touching his heart.

Weinstein served in the Army in World War II and he and dozens of other World War II veterans gathered Wednesday night at South Plantation High School.

They were treated like the heroes they are.

ROTC members served them dinner, listened to their stories and took care of them for the evening.

All around were signs of praise and thanks and loud rounds of applause.

"We're here because of them," said one ROTC member. "We have so many things because of them."

And like the Greatest Generation that they are, they brushed off the accolades. Helen Ferrar served in Normandy in the weeks after D-Day providing critical communications support.

"That's what we did," she said. "We had something to do and we did it."

The event focused on a virtual honor flight which virtually took the veterans to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. For some who'd never been there it was the chance of a lifetime.

"Fantastic," said Weinstein. "I really enjoyed it."

Broward County School students are championing this cause and honoring the veterans in our community.

And the commitment of Broward County school students to Honor Flight and to our veterans doesn't end with Wednesday's event.

They're in the process of raising $50,000 to send veterans on two Honor Flights in the spring.

And the war stories were everywhere.

World War II vet and Navy Seabee Harvey Mittleman is 91.

His brother was recovering from surgery on Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. His brother survived but those moments from 75 years ago remain fresh.

"We didn't hear from him for over a week," said Mittleman. "We were all going crazy."

During the event, which also honored veterans from the Korean War and the Vietnam War, the school band played music from the era and each veteran received mail during a mock military Mail Call.

As the evening wrapped up, each vet left to a parade of well-wishers praising their service and sacrifice.

Some in the crowd were moved to tears.

And the lessons for all on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack focused on patriotism and honor.

"Serve their country, like I did," said Army veteran Robert Ricardi. "And I was very proud of it."

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