WWII hero commemorates D-Day sharing his story fighting in the battle of Iwo Jima
Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum speaks one-on-one with WWII veteran Ronald Scharfe who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima at the age of 16 on ‘The Story.’
As Americans recognized the 80th anniversary of D-Day, World War II veteran Ronald "Rondo" Scharfe issued a pointed message about the current state of the country he risked his life to protect.
Scharfe, who famously lied about his age to join the military at 16 years old, sat down Tuesday with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum in Normandy, France, to reflect on his service during a period of immense uncertainty that shaped the course of history and opened up about why he feels his beloved country has become virtually unrecognizable.
Asked to share his thoughts on what he thinks of the state of America today, the 96-year-old veteran did not mince words.
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"The real truth? I feel like a foreigner in my own country lots of times and I don’t like it, it makes my heart real heavy," he said. "I just hope we can pull out of this, there's too much Hollywood going on in Washington all the time — the important subjects they don’t cover. So I hope all the guys rally up and go back and straighten it all out."
The U.S. Marine Corp's Iwo Jima Memorial in front of the U.S. Capitol, center, and Washington Monument, right, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Scharfe said he finds it unlikely that most 16-year-olds today would go through the lengths he did to risk their lives for their country. He called it a symptom of a "lazy" generation.
"It was a different generation. Each generation is a little bit different," he said. "And I think that all the generations are great, but I think some of the ones they got now are a little lazy, and I think they've got to show more pride in their country than they do."
Scharfe recalled how he was initially turned away from enlisting at 16 years old, but he was determined to fight. He ultimately stole baptismal certificates during his sister's wedding and falsified his age. Only months later, he found himself fighting in the battle of Iwo Jima.
"I told mom and dad they won't be sending me overseas until probably 18 or 19 or something. In three months, I was gone," he said.
The remains of Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams are carried down the East Front Center Steps of the US Capitol after lying in honor in Washington, D.C., US, on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient, fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima. (Anna Rose Layden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Scharfe also spoke openly about his lifelong battle with PTSD, which he developed after fighting in the battle of Iwo Jima. He said he considers himself "lucky" to be alive, telling MacCallum, "A lot of the guys weren't as lucky as I was, and I appreciate every day of it.
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"The only ones you get along with or that can understand you, is if you’re a combat vet," he said. "I've got PTSD, I’ve had it all my life. It will never go away until you're gone. As long as the people remember that the vets are still around, the guys feel good about it. Some of the memories are good, some are bad, some are happy, some are sad. That's all part of life."
Scharfe recalled how he sustained a serious injury after his ship was involved in a collision, sending him over the top of the wheel. He split his sternum, broke his nose and lost several teeth. That experience, to him, marked the first time he "got really close to a person who was dead."
"This one guy was cut in half, and I think I was talking to myself saying, ‘What the hell am I doing here? Get me through this,’" he said.
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"It's all history. I’m glad I’m here," Scharfe said. "I feel bad about not having some of my buddies with me."
Fox News Digital's Joshua Comins contributed to this report.
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