INDIANAPOLIS — As the clock ticked down towards Veterans Day, Hoosier veterans thanked each other for their service during a special ceremony.
The Veterans Day Council of Indianapolis hosted a gathering inside of the Indiana War Memorial on the American Legion Mall Thursday night. The event featured awards for veterans, scholarships to JROTC students, and most importantly, time for veterans to share stories with one another.
"All of us have different experiences or our service," said Veterans Day Council of Indianapolis president Dennis Wimer, an Air Force veteran. "When I look back on my service, I think of the brotherhood and comradery."
The most powerful stories likely came from Bob Pedigo, a 100-year-old Air Force veteran who served in World War II and flew a B-24 Liberator on D-Day.
"It resurrects a lot of memories," Pedigo said. "The 8th Air Force had the highest percentage of loss in World War II. I lost a lot of buddies."
MORE OF PEDIGO'S STORY | 'It was do or die': Hoosier Air Force veteran recalls World War II (from Dec. 2020)
Wimer said veterans like Pedigo are the reason why his committee put this gathering together.
"That opportunity for us to hear them is fading," Wimer said. "It's something that we need to take advantage of."
Pedigo wore his Air Force bomber jacket to the ceremony, which he said he will donate to the Indiana War Memorial when he cannot wear it anymore.
He said he's honored to tell his story and hopes other veterans do the same.
"I never had a lot of opportunity to talk about it because people didn't know what questions to ask," Pedigo said. "I hear from other people, 'My dad served in so and so but didn't want to talk about it.' He probably didn't have anybody to talk to."
The Veterans Day festivities continue Friday with a parade in front of the Indiana War Memorial beginning at 11 a.m.
