World War II veteran visits memorial for first time
World War II veteran Antonio Marquez visits the Washington
By Sasha Lenninger
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WASHINGTON, DC (KOAT) — On the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is the World War II Memorial. It honors the more than 407,000 servicemen who died in combat.
“We were the first. We were in the invasion of Guam,” said Antonio Marquez.
The 99-year-old is the only WWII veteran on this year’s Honor Flight. His service with the Navy is something he still remembers. Data shows that roughly 66,000 WWII veterans are still alive and a majority of them are in their 90s.
Marquez was in charge of driving LCMs. They were crucial vehicles used during WWII to transport troops, other vehicles and supplies from ships to the shore.
“One time, they were driving. They were taking like 150-gallon tanks to a harbor and as they’re going, bombs start dropping,” said Bernadette Gutierrez. Over the years, her dad shared several stories with her about his time in the service and this trip is one she’s been wanting him to experience.
“We applied about five years ago, but he wouldn’t come without his wife. So he said if she can’t go, I’m not going,” said Gutierrez. “She passed a year ago on D-Day.”
At the time of WWII, New Mexico had only been a state for about 30 years. It ended up playing a major role in the war by sending out a high number of servicemen, like Marquez. But by the end of the war, more than 2,200 New Mexicans died and never made it back to the Land of Enchantment.
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