‘No Regrets Tour’ WWII Veteran tours National Medal of Honor Heritage Center

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A motorcade came down Broad Street this Monday afternoon, escorting World War II Veteran Sidney Walton.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke greeted Walton, before the veteran went inside the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.

“When you were young, you had the a chance to meet Civil War veterans, is that right,” Walton’s son Paul Walton said.

“Yes,” Sidney said.

“And, you never did,” Paul said.

“Never did,” Sidney said.

“Do you regret this to this day,” Paul said.

“Absolutely,” Sidney said.

“And, to make up for that regret you’ve had all your life that’s why you decided to go on tour,” Paul said.

The 101-year-old World War II Veteran has been traveling across the country with his son meeting governors and giving people the opportunity to meet a World War II veteran in his “No Regrets Tour.”

So far, he’s met 34 governors.

“It’s amazing considering 96 percent of everyone who wore the uniform of the United States for World War II is now deceased. There’s less than 4 percent if what we would call the greatest generation,” National Medal of Honor Heritage Center Executive Director Keith Hardison said.

Hardison gave Walton a tour of the center and thanked him for his service.

“These individuals were, unselfish, and they’re very humble to the point of almost being dismissive of what they did and it was a very, very, very big deal in the history of this country and the history of this world,” Hardison said.

On this trip, Walton is going from the Georgia to Michigan in a parade called “Operation 75.”

This is being done to commemorate the 75 anniversary of the end of World War II.