By Angela Marshall
World War II vets live on through newspaper accounts
Veterans Day this year cannot be celebrated without thinking about those serving in America's new war. However, we must not forget the heroes of the past. The following compilation highlights some of the brave men and women who served during the last war provoked by direct attacks on America.
During World War II, the Rockville Centre News & Owl dedicated a page each week to news on those in the military. Through tales told by the soldiers or their families, Rockville Centre's participation in the war was told in the hometown paper. Tales of bravery, love and brotherhood were in every issue.
Heroes of the sky
Lt. Francis L. Aires entered the ranks of war heroes when, even though he was three times wounded, he crawled to his gun and succeeded in helping to destroy a Luftwaffe fighter while repulsing the enemy's effort to turn the American forces away from their target.
They hit us head-on this time and just as Aires started for his gun a 20 millimeter shell burst caught him in the arm and side and knocked him off his feet. He crawled back up and started to head for his guns the second time when another burst hit him in the head and neck, again putting him on the floor of the plane. He got up again and this time caught a burst in the leg and went back down. But he didn't believe in the old saying
