GAHANNA, Ohio — After taking part in a film, a central Ohio World War II veteran has received a great deal of recognition more than 75 years after enlisting his service.

“Kind of amazed at that, surprised too,” World War II veteran Harry Diehl said about his recent fame in and around central Ohio. 

Staff Sgt. Diehl of Pickerington never expected to be recognized for his military service by the Columbus Symphony or at a Columbus Blue Jackets game. 

The soon-to-be 99-year-old, was then part of a documentary for Operation Meraki, and most recently was a guest of honor at Gahanna Lincoln High School. 

“He was a World War II veteran his entire adult life, and there was never any kind of thing like this, because everybody kind of was a veteran. But now, in his late 90s, unfortunately, a lot of these guys aren't around anymore,” said Kevin Diehl, Harry’s son. “People want to hear his story and have an opportunity to meet him and everything.” 

Harry Diehl enlisted in the 9th Army Air Force one week after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 

He served as a crew chief and flight engineer on C-47s and was deployed to North Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Sicily. 

Diehl also took part in the D-Day invasion and his plane was shot down, causing him to parachute to safety. 

In recent years, he and Kevin took the trip of a lifetime to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. 

“Never thought it would happen to me, so I really enjoyed it,” said Harry Diehl. “It was still kind of sad to see all those crosses that those boys got shot and killed, brought back a lot of memories.” 

In a similar way Kevin is a curator of Harry’s legacy, so is Army veteran Michael Thomas, the executive director of Operation Meraki. 

The organization has taught photography to veterans as a means for therapy, and his Guardians Never Forget program makes sure stories like Harry Diehl’s stand the test of time. 

“There's a moment where I can be a historian for my brothers and sisters that put on that uniform and tell their story in a way that's actually reflective of their experience,” said Thomas. 

Kevin Diehl agreed preserving the history is essential.

“The guys that are alive now, the privates and the grunts, and they all had individual stories but that didn't get told that much originally, so, it's fantastic that stuff is getting told now and preserved,” he said. 

Harry Diehl's story may be viewed here.