WWII veterans walk through memories at Missouri's National Veterans Memorial

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Veterans from different wars, including six men from World War II, walked through Missouri's National Veterans Memorial facility Monday, June 19, to see different memorials and tour the museum in Perryville.

A group from St. Louis, focusing on bringing different veterans to different memorials and monuments, transported the former soldiers to Perryville.

While the group has no formal name, organizer George Despotis said it originally focused on honoring World War II veterans, but has branched out to "other eras."

"There's just a whole group of us that just want to honor this generation and subsequent generations that fought for our freedom," Despotis said. "We just realized that we cherish the time with these guys. We learned so much from them."

The veterans started off their tour of the facility by taking pictures and exploring the Honor Flag Memorial. Then, the tour guides took the World War II veterans on golf carts to America's Wall at the Missouri's National Veterans Memorial, which is an exact replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C.

Sgt. Mike McCrate, Cape Girardeau native and World War II veteran who served from December 1943 to December 1946 ending his service as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers, said it was nice to see the work that went into the memorials at the facility.

"It's not something that just fell out here," McCrate said. "I think it makes everybody pay more attention."

The veterans then toured through the James M. Eddleman Military Museum. After finishing the tour, they ended the day with refreshments in the facility and a shot of apple brandy.

The World War II veterans were recognized at the facility with a commemorative coin from the Missouri's National Veterans Memorial. Before the tour, they also were presented Ruptured Duck pins from Judy L'Homme and Rosalie McGaugh of Franklin County Honor Flight.

Missouri's National Veterans Memorial's founding member and Vietnam veteran fourth class specialist Jim Eddleman said seeing all the veterans there and exploring the memorials was a great experience.

"One thing that stood out the most when somebody comes here and says, 'You know, I used to go to Washington, D.C., once every five years, and now I can come here 10 times a year,'" Eddleman said. "That just makes me, you know, feel so good inside."