Touching video of Pearl Harbor survivor being honored at his home goes viral



GARDENA , Calif. - Emotional video of a World War II veteran "having one of the best days of his life" after being honored by chief selects in front of his California home recently has touched many people after being widely shared online.

The veteran in the video, Ernest Thompson, served on the USS Missouri during the second world war according to Jonathan Williams, the CEO of the Battleship Iowa Museum and the man's grandson.

Williams recalled in a Facebook comment under the viral video that Thompson regularly visited the USS Iowa, which is the sister-ship to the USS Missouri and located approximately 15 minutes from the veteran's house.

Due to health reasons, however, Thompson -- now in his 90s -- has been unable to visit the ship, according to the Battleship Iowa news release.

With the help of volunteer coordinators, the chief selects from the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center visited Thompson's home and sang the Navy's march song, "Anchors Aweigh" in the middle of his residential street.



While the singing went on, Thompson stood and saluted, "inspiring those around him," the release stated.

The remarkable thing, according to a spokesman for the museum, is that Thompson had a fall earlier this year and had not been able to walk or stand since then.