GZ
A MAN IS PART OF A GREATER
GENERATION, THOSE THAT FOUGHT IN
WORLD WAR II AND HELPED ON THE
HOME FRONT.
70 YEARS LATER
RECONCILIATION.
JOE HAS AWARDS AND
ACCOMMODATIONS THAT PROVE HIS
VALOR DURING WORLD WAR II
INCLUDING TWO PURPLE HEARTS BUT
THEY ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF
HIS EXPERIENCES SO MANY YEARS
AGO.
EYE FEEL LIKE FOR SOME REASON OR
OTHER I WAS SAVED.
JOE ENLIST IN THE ARMY AFTER
DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE.
A PLANE WASTE A CREW MEMBER ON
WAS ATTACKED BY THE JAPANESE.
HE WAS SHOT IN THE LEG.
[INAUDIBLE]
BADLY WOUNDED JOE WAS TAKEN
TO A DUTCH MILITARY HOSPITAL
WHERE THINGS GOT WORSE.
HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE
AND HE WAS A P.O.W. FOR MORE
THAN THREE YEARS.
24/7, EVERY YEAR -- UNDER
CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE.
JOE WAS STARVED AND BEATEN.
AT ONE TIME HE TEMPORARILY LOST
HIS EYESIGHT BUT HE NEVER LOST
HOPE.
I PRAYED EVERY NIGHT JUST TO
HAVE ONE DAY OF FREEDOM.
THAT DAY DID FINALLY COME IN
1945 WHEN THE JAPANESE
SURRENDERED.
JOE CAME HOME AND MOVED ON.
I WANTED TO BECOME A CITIZEN
-- TRYING TO GET A DEGREE AND
THE PAST IS THE PAST.
JOE GOT THAT DEGREE IN
ENGINEERING AT PENN STATE.
HE GOT MARRIED AND HAD A
SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE WAR
ISN'T FORGOTTEN.
IN A MODEST FRAME IN HIS
BASEMENT HE DISPLAYS HIS MEDALS.
I --
THERE'S NOT TOO MANY OF YOU
GUYS LEFT.
I KNOW.
THAT'S WHY I -- I'M GLAD YOU
CAME IN.
JOE'S STORY ISN'T DONE QUITE
YET.
70 YEARS AFTER BEING CAPTURED
HE'S PLANNING TO VISIT JAPAN
THIS FALL.
HE HAS BEEN INVITED BY THE
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AS PART OF A
RECONCILIATION PROGRAM.
HE SAYS HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO
IT.
A WAY TO MOVE BEYOND WHAT
HAPPENED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.
JERRY GISH, NEWS 8.
JOE TURNS 97 YEARS OLD THIS
