99-year-old veterans reunited after serving in World War II

BELLEVUE, Neb. (KETV) – A pair of veterans who served in World War II have become fast friends decades later through reunions for the war heroes.

Myron Roker and Ray Terwillegar served together in World War II. Both veterans were in the 324th infantry regiment.

“Myron and I, we didn’t know each other. But after we had started having these reunions, we have become very close friends,” Terwillegar explained.

Roker spent 204 days in combat from 1944 to 1945.

“We were on defense and Nazis were about, I’d say two miles from us,” he recalled.

Terwillegar spent five months in combat.

“Nobody will really realize what us soldiers went through over in World War II,” Terwillegar said.

As the men reunite now, decades after the end of the war – both at the age of 99, they remember those who didn’t come home.

“It cost us almost 500 men and almost 2,000 wounded, so freedom is not free,” Roker said.

“So many of your real good friends that you became with and are not here today. They didn’t make it back,” Terwillegar said.

With that grief, each man said they also carry a sense of pride.

“At the end of World War II, our whole country was together,” Terwillegar added.