99-year-old World War II veteran in Sioux City attends Hospice of Siouxland Veterans Luncheon

99-year-old World War II veteran in Sioux City attends Hospice of Siouxland Veterans Luncheon 
KTIV 4, Sioux City, IA; by Taylor Deckert; 11/12/24 
Siouxland veterans were busy on Nov. 11 as many businesses and organizations celebrated their service to our country. Hospice of Siouxland hosted their luncheon the following day on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Each year, they host it around Veterans Day so these veterans can enjoy all the other events in the area. Veterans and their families were celebrated with a pinning ceremony by Veteran Volunteers with Hospice of Siouxland. “I enjoy them. I’ve been going to these for many years. ...” said WWII Veteran, Robert Irwin of Sioux City who got pinned on Tuesday. He continued, “There are only one or two of us left. I got drafted in 1943, sent me to Europe as a machine gunner. We got shot down, but, were able to make it back to England. We made the rest of our tour. From that, I came back and helped start the Air National Guard,” said Irwin. “I had my windshield shot out.” He also served in Korea as a pilot. “I spent 24 years in,” said Irwin.
Editor's note: What wonderful sensitivity from Hospice of Siouxland to host this on an additional day (with absolutely no judgment whatsoever to those hospices who provide special honors on Veterans Day). What a wonderful comment from this 99-year old, "I've been going to these [hospice ceremonies] for years."