It all started with the book “The Greatest Generation,” written by Tom Brokaw. Upon reading Mr. Brokaw’s book, I felt compelled to seek out and find WWII veterans so that I could hear their stories firsthand. Little did I know, it would forever alter my life.

My quest led me to Mr. Benjamin “Frank” Jones.

Mr. Jones was born on January 30, 1924 in rural Georgia. He is a pleasant man with a soft demeanor. His eyes are kind and full of wisdom with a twinkle of mischief. During my visits with Mr. Jones, he shared stories of days gone by. We talked about his children. He has two daughters, Debra and Donna, and a son Benny, who was killed in an electrical accident during the ‘70s. We talked about his job on the railroad with Norfolk Southern, where he worked for 39 years. We talked of family and friends and the life lessons that he has learned along the way.

I enjoyed listening and learning from each and every story, however, the magic moment happened when I asked the question, “Mr. Jones, what can you tell me about WWII?” Mr. Jones stared at me for a moment, then sat up straight in his chair; his chest seeming to swell with pride as he looked me dead in the eyes. His voice was strong and full of nostalgia as he began to share the stories of his youth. He had joined the Army Air Corps at the age of 18 and was stationed in Europe as a Staff Sergeant from 1943 to 1945. He talked about C47s and what it was like flying in the smoke-filled skies and how they would drop supplies all over Europe... he chuckled, and when he said, “We carried everything from gas to K-rations. We even carried a movie star once.” I listened intently, my heart full of gratitude as he recalled how they would take American POWs to England. He reminisced about being in Paris just three days after it was liberated. I could see the emotion on his face as he talked of the soldiers he served with. As I sat in the presence of this extraordinary man, it hit me like a bullet to the heart... the thought that this generation really is the “greatest” generation, and before long, they will all be gone. I found myself holding back tears as I said, “Mr. Jones, something should be done to honor all of you veterans.” Mr. Jones then gave me a very stern but loving look, his eyes full of sincerity, and said, “Well, do something!” So I vowed right then and there that I would… and thus, Service For Service was born.