WILMINGTON—From 1942 to 1944, retired Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Jewell called the USS North Carolina Battleship his home.
On Sunday, the 95-year-old WWII veteran walked aboard the ship once again. Jewell said as he first stepped aboard the ship looked bigger than he remembered.
“I think they stretched it somehow,” said Duncan Jewell.
Jewell last visited the ship 10 years ago. This time around he brought three generations of his family on a trip down memory lane.
"Except for the raids and support operations for landing operations. It's a pretty dull life actually. Just cruising around. You get to eat regular and sleep fairly regular," said Duncan Jewell.
His daughter, Dria Jewell, said this was her first time aboard the ship and the experience has given her a new appreciation for her father and what he's been through.
"I think as children, you don't appreciate what your parents did, they were just your mom and dad. And then when you get older you start to realize what type of life they've had and how many precious moments there are to share," said Dria Jewell.
Though Jewell has been back to the ship several times since serving in WWII, he said this visit is special because he was able to share it with his family.
"We've talked about it a little bit before and I never thought we'd make it but it's working out well," said Duncan Jewell.
The USS North Carolina had a crew of 2,300 men, some of which stayed for a few months and some for several years. Between April 1941 and June 1947, more than 7,000 men had called the battleship home.