Kolodey, a 99yearold World War II veteran with an incredible story of service and survival.

Before he could legally have a drink, Richard had flown 100 missions as a gunner on a Grumman TBM Avenger in the South Pacific. By age 21, he was headed home from the war.

Growing up in Dallas, Richard enlisted at 17, just five months after Pearl Harbor. After training, he became a gunner on the threeman Avenger crew.

His first combat mission was over Guadalcanal in August 1943, bombing a landing strip. His group would go on to down 10 planes and sink 35 ships.

Richard was in combat for 13 months, flying a mission every three to four days. "Once we flew nine missions in three days," he recalls. Miraculously, he never got scratched, even when his planes returned riddled with bullets.

During his 13 months, he "islandhopped" through the Solomon Islands, helping secure them for America's push to bomb Japan. "We lost 30% of our aircraft," he says, "but the planes I was in always made it back."

The stress was immense, but Richard believes youth helped him cope. "That's why they want young men in combat," he reflects.

For 60 years, Richard kept his experiences to himself. Now, at 99, he shares his remarkable WWII story.