They've been called "The Greatest Generation," largely because of their resilience during one of history's harshest wars, World War II. They are leaving us at a rapid pace.
New census figures show about 14,500 World War II vets still living in the Sacramento region, down roughly 62 percent from 2000.
On average, about one local WWII veteran died every four hours in the Sacramento region during the last decade.
Age is, of course, the culprit. A veteran who was 18 years old on D-Day would today be about 85 years old.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau