his ship was struck by multiple
torpedoes but this world war two veteran
survived and that was just the beginning
of his story there was some money and
and life board we know thank her not you
know you know Tom Brokaw dubbed them the
Greatest Generation
a fitting title for those who sacrifice
saves the world in our framework for
freedom as Veterans Day approaches we
wanted to bring the story of one local
veteran who really symbolizes what his
generation truly means to all of us in
his 92 years
Don Todd hill of Marysville has seen a
lot but one day in 1945 will forever
live in his memory he was 18 years old
serving aboard the Liberty Ship SS Peter
Sylvester they were off the coast of
Australia when disaster struck
February's on 6 1945 about quarter to
10:00 at night I was in my bunk top bunk
down below when the first torpedo hit a
German torpedo tore through the ship a
second quickly followed I remember
flying through there and then the
husband
Edna duck I passed out cold seawater
woken Tuthill somehow reached a ladder I
think probably I would have said the
last one I would some down below and be
good I'd never you know hurt anybody
except one person one person down there
was reciting the Lord's Prayer more
torpedos split the ship in half
Tuthill swam toward the light books I
don't know how many here people they had
in Aleppo they wouldn't let the end of a
foot and I do in my store you know I am
bleeding quite bad because I had cuts
all over me you know I was afraid if
there's any shirts in the vicinity oh
I'd be beat for you know Tuthill was in
the water when the submarine surfaced
the Germans fired on the ship but not
the survivors Tuthill finally made it
into a lifeboat crowded with 19 others
they rationed their meager supply of
food and water and tried to keep their
spirits up we talked about food and we
all talked about back home as days at
sea turned to weeks they ran out of food
and battled storms by members of
swallows being so high looking up you
think they were emotions coming at you
you know just four days into the ordeal
Tuthill turns 19 and I didn't say
anything to anybody because I figured I
wasn't going to get any ice cream of
cake or anything else but he never gave
up hope I always had faith and God
I'd be rescued on the 22nd day they were
spotted by a British aircraft carrier
someone on board took this photo as they
were rescued I seen that rope later can
done I think I'm just a second one going
up after 22 days I wasn't going to let
that ship get away of the 174 men on
board the Peter Sylvester 33 died
miraculously a hundred and forty-one
survived after the war
Tuthill went on to a 31-year career with
the st. Clair County Sheriff's
Department
he married Virginia now his wife of 67
years they have two children four
grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren like many of his
generation for years
Tuthill didn't talk about what happened
during the war not even with his wife
been recently dead you know I decided I
won't talk about it but now he wants
people to remember our sacrifice
to give freedom to our country i I think
of people that lost their lives on there
you know and I want people to know about
the veterans went through I just feel a
day after day home fortunate I was to
come through it you know so I've had a
wonderful life
[Music]