DAYTON, Ohio — A small group of veterans from Southwest Ohio is being recognized at the Ford Oval of Honor event in Dayton.

It’s a way to say "thank you" for their service and sacrifice to the country.

One honoree is WWII veteran D. Ralph Young.

“This book was something I had to do because I’m convinced that my Mother’s prayer during my career in the Navy during WWII brought me through,” Young said as he signed a copy of his book “The Power of a Mother’s Prayer.”

At 99 years old, Young is still sharing stories and his wife Janice is always there to listen and help.

“This happens to be the landing on the isle of Tinian in the Pacific and I chose it because I was in this group,” he said as he turned over another one of his books.

 Young has written several books about his service and WWII.

He was raised on a small farm in Central Kentucky during the Great Depression.

“My best friend and I were hitchhiking home from watching a movie and on December 7th, 1941, when the person driving had the radio on and there was a newscast that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor,” he said. 

Instead of waiting to be drafted, at 17 years old, he convinced his parents to let him enlist in the Navy.

“My first battle was in Saipan and that was on June 15, 1944,” Young said.

 Through the pages of his books, Young paints a picture of war in the Pacific and his service as a gunner’s mate on an amphibious personnel attack ship.

He survived four major battles, came home, and pursued a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky.

“The Lord must just had blessed me a special way because, at that time, the world was hungry for power,” Young recalled.

His career took him all over the world and into the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Hall Of Fame.

However, after retirement, his urge to tell his story kept growing, and the pages kept coming.

“Everybody thinks of WWII they think of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge and they don’t think about Tinian, Saipan, and many of the islands that people just don’t even think about anymore, but some very brave people fought and gave their lives there,” he said.

“I was so glad that he was willing to take me back to those islands where he fought and he could show me this and show me the beach and he said ‘You know, when we were here on Saipan, this beach was different. The smell was different. It was filled with dead bodies’ and he said ‘Look how beautiful it is now.’ He showed me in Okinawa where he put the smoke bombs out and I could visualize his story.” said Janice Young.

Since Young can’t take everyone back to the Pacific, the books speak volumes.  

“I’m just honored to have served. I never regret being a part of the Greatest Generation because I was brought in on the coattails of all those brave young men that I served with,” he said.

Along with Young, three other veterans will be recognized at the Ford Oval of Honor event. 

Staff Sergeant Arthur Kemp served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Marine Corps Corporal James Williams both served during WWII, and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael DeHart served in Vietnam.

The dinner will be held on June 20th inside the center hangar of the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The four inductees will also be honored at the Dayton Air Show Parade on June 21st.