Of the estimated 16.3 million Americans who are estimated to have served in WW II, more than 400,000 were killed in action. Today, only 167,284 American veterans who returned home are still alive.
According to the National WW II Museum, there are an estimated 3,845 veterans living in Minnesota, the 16th most of all states. World War II veterans comprise 1.4% of the state's total veteran population of 265,920.
Nationwide, WW II vets account for 1% of the overall veteran population.
Nearly 80 years have passed since the war's end so that means even the youngest and latest joining members are in their 90s and 100s.
(Growing up, WW II veterans were everywhere among my parents' friends. I could never imagine them becoming so rare at the time. My dad did not serve as he graduated from high school in 1947.)
--GreGen
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