On Memorial Day, West Tennessee Skydiving in Whiteville joined forces with the Forever Young Senior Veterans and WREG News Channel 3 to honor four military veterans. James Deaton, age 91, was a tailor in the U.S. Army during the occupation of Japan during World War II. Luke McLaurine, age 95, was in the U.S. Army Air Corps and the U.S. Air Force, served as a bombardier on the B-52 bomber and spent six months as a prisoner of war during World War II. Jerry Melcher, age 70, was a medic in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. Tommy Towery, age 72, was an electronic warfare specialist on a B-24 bomber with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. All four veterans made tandem skydives from 14,500 feet in memory of service members who never made it back home.

Alex Coker | D-36105
Hernando, Mississippi