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TUCSON - The motto for Rotary Club is Service above Self.

So the Catalina Rotary Club wants to honor veterans, by recording on video, their stories about WWII. It is the club's Veterans Project

And folks from the Greatest Generation can teach us all something about service.

"So I went down and enlisted in June of 1942."

Dick Palmer soon became an officer and trained hundreds of soldiers

"And then went on a landing craft into Japan. And we were there Thanksgiving Day."

While Palmer did see direct combat, his mission was essential.

"There's a backup for every guy that's up there getting shot at. People have to supply all their needs."

And now his story is essential.

Steve Pender is the director on the project.

"My passion and my mission is helping folks preserve, celebrate and share their stories."

He says these true stories are important pieces of history.

Irv Mindes came with the idea to interview the vets.

"It needs to be done now because, lets face it, most of these guys are in their mid to late 80's or 90's."

The interviews will be available on a website. Each vet gets a DVD copy. And the videos will be submitted to the Veterans' History Project run by the Library of Congress.

"People will be able to hear from the individuals, not generals, but people who were actually in the Pacific or in Europe."

Already the veterans are leaving a lasting impression.

"What impressed me is the ideal of service that really is deep within each of the gentlemen that we've interviewed," says Pender.

When they complete interviews with all the WWII, they will move on to Korea and Vietnam veterans. If you want to see more about the project go to their website:
http://www.catalinarotaryveteransproject.org/