Our World War II vets are facing the last battle

Carl Beck did something as a teenager in 1944 that defined the rest of his life. He jumped out of an airplane over France on the eve of D-Day.

In his later years, Beck, who retired from three careers, became almost an evangelist for the memory of his comrades. Last week, the old soldier died, another tick in the inevitable march of history that is decimating the ranks of World War II's surviving vets.

Today, there are comparatively few World War II vets alive. It may seem surprising to those of us who grew up with, it seemed, every other dad having had a hand in the war. But now most are 90ish and they are steadily becoming a rare breed.