Retired Marine Corps Cpl. Don Whipple, 94, is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at his Colorado Springs, Colorado, rally on Thursday evening.
Whipple fought during the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II and was wounded during battle.
“I always say I was a boy when I landed at Iwo Jima, but when I came off, I was a man,” he told the Denver Channel in a 2019 interview.
He moved to the Denver metropolitan area after the war and has settled there ever since.
“I can’t wait to meet that guy,” Whipple said of the president, according to KDVR.
Whipple was also told he would have gotten the opportunity to meet the vice president.
Next week, Whipple will be traveling to Washington, DC, to take part in ceremonies honoring the 75th anniversary of Iwo Jima.
Republican officials say Trump’s rally will be a sold-out crowd, with an arena packing around 8,000 people, KOAA reported. CBS Denver reported that Trump would appear on stage with Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) at the Broadmoor World Arena.
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