CRESTVIEW — Pfc. Makayla Martin, with the Emerald Coast Young Marines, has greater appreciation for the Battle of Iwo Jima, having received a first-hand account from a man who lived through it.
"I learned that Iwo Jima was a crucial battle and that it was a difficult course for (retired Marine Walter Sullivan) to overcome," the 12-year-old said.
See Emerald Coast Young Marine's "Veterans Appreciation Lunch" photos>>
She interviewed Sullivan, who served with an infantry division that invaded the Pacific island in 1945, before the Nov. 16 Young Marines' Veterans Appreciation Lunch at Elks Lodge 2624 in downtown Crestview.
Lance Cpl. Aston Normand, who interviewed World War II veteran William P. Zell, said he learned what motivated Zell during his 31-year career in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.
"He didn't do it for the money or anything else; he just wanted to serve his country and help his fellow brothers and sisters in the military," he said.
Zell gave Young Marines some advice after earning an honorary certificate.
"There are three things I always want you to remember: duty, honor and country," he said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Young Marines learn about veterans' military service (PHOTOS)