Meals on Wheels to vets

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – On Veterans Day, active duty military members were delivering meals to veterans who are home-bound.

It is a long standing partnership between the military and San Diego’s Meals on Wheels program.

“They give to their country, they give to our freedom, but they also have to give back to the communities that they’re in,” said Debbie Case, CEO of Meals on Wheels about the volunteers.

Stephanie Isom is a volunteer.

“It really is fulfilling to see how much joy these people have by just receiving a meal. It’s nothing too major, but they really appreciate it and they’re grateful for it,” she said.

Joe Dunn is 94-years-old, and is a World War II veteran. He no longer remembers how many years he served, but he does remember being aboard the USS Hadley.

On the morning of May 11, 1945, the Hadley was off the coast of Okinawa, when ten Kamakazi Japanese planes attacked his ship simultaneously.

The Hadley shot them down.

But three other suicide aircraft flew into the ship, killing 28 and wounding 67. That experience he remembers.

“We all had a job to do, and we did it. Like they say, stripes don’t do anything, it’s the man behind the stripes, right,” said Dunn.

Joe Dunn remembers his buddies up there, up there at Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery.

“Well it’s a privilege just to be able to remember our buddies that are up there. It’s an honor, and a great privilege to be in this great country of ours, and its all because of our buddies that went beyond the call of duty, and they’re up there at Fort Rosecrans. They are the true heroes,” he said.

And those men at war knew what they were fighting for.

And what does it mean to have a meal delivered to his door?

“It means I don’t have to cook,” said Dunn laughing.

16 million Americans served in World War II, but few of the greatest generation are still alive to tell their stories.