It has been nearly 81 years since World War II ended. Estimates are that 45,000 to 66,000 veterans of that war remain alive in the United States — 0.5% of the more than 16.4 million American personnel that helped rescue the world from tyranny. Their median age is 98.
As of early 2026, there are fewer than 1,000 WWII vets remaining in Oregon, down from 2,933 in 2023, according to the National WW II Museum . Their numbers are expected to dwindle to around 259 by the end of the year.
This is a story about one veteran, a Newberg resident, and the send off he received last week…