SC Medal of Honor recipient escorting WWII vets to DC

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter is taking time at the end of his second year of college to escort a group of elderly military veterans to Washington.

The now-retired Marine says he wants to show his appreciation for their service by accompanying them on Wednesday’s Honor Flight to view the nation’s military memorials.

The 25-year-old says he’s had 40 surgeries for injuries he sustained in Afghanistan for the action that earned him the nation’s highest military honor. And he just wrapped up exams in his international relations major at the University of South Carolina.

Carpenter says he’s looking forward to hearing from veterans of all military branches, no matter where they served.

Carpenter says he wants to tell them America is free because of them.