BROWNWOOD, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Mr. Kelly J. Reid was born in 1926 in Wichita Falls, Texas. When he was 17 years old, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve our nation during World War II.

Shortly after joining the military, he became part of the Office of Strategic Services, a secretive group at the time that dealt with private missions. Reid recounts war stories about swimming in the ocean while it’s pitch black and other memories with his peers.

Mr. Reid shared how as a member of the O.S.S, he could not tell his parents about the work he did.

“We had to dawn our uniforms. We couldn’t wear our uniforms anymore, so we had to wear civilian clothes from then on while I was in O.S.S. I couldn’t tell anything about anybody,” Reid recalled.

The National Mounted Warfare Foundation has been collecting stories from World War II veterans as a way to preserve American History, all to feature them in a new national war museum opening later this year in Fort Hood, Texas.

Volunteer and video producer Michael DeHart met up with Mr. Reid in Brownwood to document his experience in World War II and in the O.S.S.

“Everybody that served did an important job and their story is important,” Dehart expressed.

Reid shared he is proud to be part of the museum and looks forward to when his 3-year-old great-granddaughter can learn about his service when she’s older.

“Cause a lot of that, it’s been many many years and if it’s not brought out, it gets to be lost you know, my future great-great-grand kids wouldn’t know anything about,” Reid explained.

Although he was 17 when he enlisted and is 96 now, he said some memories that seem like it was just yesterday.

Reid is just one of many veterans that has shared their experience to the National Mounted Warfare Foundation. Visit the museum’s website to learn more.