Winnipeg veteran, 102, recalls his time fighting in Second World War

He's one of 13 veterans living at Deer Lodge Center, and at 102 years old, Richard Earle has stories. The second one, that's the one I'm proud of, because nobody else in here has a star of Burma. Enlisted in the military at 18 years old, following in the footsteps of his five brothers to fight in the Second World War, feeling a calling to make a difference. I wanted to make sure that I did my part in the days of Hitler. Do you remember him? He was not a very good fella. He says he was destined to be in the skies. I was on the radio in the plane. Except for when we were attacked, I would be on the machine guns. His service took him overseas to England, then India. One of roughly 8,000 Canadians who served in the Burma campaign. Earl was a founding member of the 435 Transport Squadron. Their air supply missions were critical in helping troops on the ground. We were a transport aircraft, and we took... Goods and services down to the British 14th Army that was fighting the Japanese in northern Burma. His wartime squadron now based at 17 Wing in Winnipeg, right where he grew up and grew his family. I had four children. I have four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He's one of roughly 4,300 Canadian veterans from the Second World War and Korean War that are still alive. It's important for the people to see what the veterans did during the Second World War, because it wasn't easy. And 80 years later, he wants to make sure their efforts aren't forgotten. Brittany Greenslade, CBC News, Winnipeg.