World War II Memorial has been open for five years now.

Many would agree that isn't a long time but the decades that have passed without World War II vets being honored have been too long.

"It is breath taking. I just did not realize it was this enormous in size and beauty," said Julian A Brannon, AAF Veteran.

"It's fabulous; it's a real tribute to us all; even those who have fallen behind us. It is a tribute to them," said Albert Hansen, Army Veteran.

"This is something isn't it? It means a whole lot, they did an outstanding job," said Newburn Snellgrove, Army Veteran.

A mixture of happiness and sorrow filled the Washington DC air as some World War II veterans from the Wiregrass spent Saturday in awe- looking at the nation's symbol of their efforts at war.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific all of the United States and its territories and the field of 4,000 gold stars which honors more than 400,000 lives lost during World War II.

"Thank you for your service and welcome to your memorial," said a man greeting veterans at the memorial.

As the veterans took in the enormous monument, each had their own unique story which ended with the reason they are here today.

“On Washington's Birthday, I got a present via some 88 mm shrapnel. It put me out of commission. From there on, it was nothing but hospitals for me until I got out of the service."

“I thought about my friends who are no longer with us- who were lost during the war. There are many of them. As a matter of fact, one died this past week,” said Francis K. Wetzel, USMC Veteran.

At the Alabama pillar, veterans and guardians celebrated with a prayer.

Then a wreath was dedicated to the group along with letters to the veterans from the United States army, thanking them for their service.

“My generation really doesn't have a true understanding of what they've gone through. To be able to hear their stories and talk to them versus what you see in the movies- I think it brings it to life," said Major Ronald Turnage of The United States Army in Washington DC.

Before it was time to load back onto buses, everyone stored these memories into their hearts and minds to take them along for a lifetime.

"I am so happy for him because I know what the marines meant to him. I remember being a child and when he retired. He devoted his life to the Marines," said Mary Jolly, Wetzel’s guardian and daughter.

"This is something we all should see and appreciate the free country that we live in," says Brannon.

Retired Kansas Senator Bob Dole was at the monument earlier that day.

He is a big advocate for World War II veterans, but was running on a tight schedule.

As you could see there, it also rained while we were at the memorial, but none of those events changed the excitement for these men and women.

Tomorrow night on news 4, Rhiana will join us one last time with sights from the Arlington National Cemetery and Iwo Jima.

She'll also give us a look at the veterans' trip back home to the Wiregrass.

That's tomorrow on News 4 at six.