There are only three survivors who were at Pearl Harbor living in the
Big Country, one of them is 91 year old Bill Smith of Abilene.
Smith was aboard the USS California when the air raid began.
Its difficult to understand him but as his niece says he enjoys telling his story.
For Bill Smith today is just like any other day but understands why others make a big deal about him and what he has lived through.
He says he jumped ship on that Sunday in Pearl Harbor and swim to shore after he saw a torpedo heading towards the USS California.
Since the attack, we hear stories like Mr. Smith's from WWII veterans but his story is different, because it ours.
Bill Smith signed up for the Navy in august of 1941 at the Abilene post office not knowing that he would live through one of the deadliest attacks in us history.
Smith was aboard the USS California when the air raid began.
Its difficult to understand him but as his niece says he enjoys telling his story.
For Bill Smith today is just like any other day but understands why others make a big deal about him and what he has lived through.
He says he jumped ship on that Sunday in Pearl Harbor and swim to shore after he saw a torpedo heading towards the USS California.
Since the attack, we hear stories like Mr. Smith's from WWII veterans but his story is different, because it ours.
Bill Smith signed up for the Navy in august of 1941 at the Abilene post office not knowing that he would live through one of the deadliest attacks in us history.
