We're only a few days away from the departure of South Dakota's third Honor Flight.  Once it lands in the nation's capital, 111 additional World War II veterans can say they've seen their memorial.

A group of veterans from the Redfield area are thankful for the opportunity and the fact that they can share it with each other.

"Oh it's going to be a happy experience, wonderful experience and tickled to death to be going," Art Larsen said.

Larsen is especially happy to be going with a group of fellow World War II veterans, people who could understand a little more what he experienced when he learned as a young soldier he'd never see his best friend again.

"We happened to be home on leave together and, him and I and there was another guy too, there was three of us talking together. I was the only one of the three that made it home," Larsen said.

He feels fortunate to be alive. Cyril Dangel can relate considering his time fighting in the Philippines, December 24, 1944 in particular.

"This Jap Hamp (airplane) came from underneath and give us one big round through the right side of our plane, knocked out the hydraulic system, the engine oil system and shattered the plane not hitting one person," Dangel said.

Even though the plane went down, everyone in it survived that attack.

Fighting on the front line, Don Strivens can understand the fear that comes with such a close call.

"Anybody that says they wasn't scared, I don't think they was in the same war I was," Strivens said.

He earned a purple heart after being hit by mortar fire in Italy and had more close calls than he cares to remember.

"One time I had a shelter half and a pack of cigarettes rolled up in it,” Strivens said. “And I had a bullet right through that pack of cigarettes. It was that close.”

The memories haven't changed since they were formed more than 60 years ago. But this group of veterans from the Redfield area will bring them together with many others as they all see their memorial for the first time.