Video: 66 Years Later, WWII Veterans Will Reunite In Groton

Larry Patton, 91, fought side-by-side with nine other men during WWII, and now, more than 66 years after their tour of duty ended, Patton and Quinton Thomas are the last known living members of the group.

Jeremy Bloom's Wish of a Lifetime organization granted Quinton Thomas, of Ashville, N.C., the chance to reunite with his lifetime war buddy in Groton Saturday Sept. 17.

"Oh, I'm very excited," said Patton of the reunion.

The two bomber plane crew members have not seen each other in five or six years, according to Patton, who said they used to see each other at annual reunions and they have stayed in touch by telephone.

"After all, we have to remind each other who won the war," he said.

The two were in the 19th squadron of the 22nd bomb group and stationed on various islands in the Pacific from 1943 until the end of the year. Patton was an engineer and he said he flew in 43 missions before the war ended.

"If something went wrong on the plane that was fixable, you fixed it," he said of his job description.

Patton said Thomas was a gunner in the tail turret and that everyone on the plane worked closely.

"Not one individual was more important than the other," Patton said of the group, who grew to be as close as brothers.

The reunion is set for Saturday and the two men and their daughters, both named Sheila, will convene at Patton's Plant Street house.