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Portrait series memorializes World War II vets

While a student two years ago at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Thomas Sanders wandered into The Villages retirement home seeking “any interesting elderly people to photograph.” A woman there pointed him to a one-time Army Ranger, Capt. Randall Harris, who had witnessed his share of hell during World War II.

Though stooped, wiry and worn by time, Harris conveyed a certain dignity. To Sanders, he was a giant. “They’re a very proud generation,” Sanders, 23, said of Harris and his fellow veterans. “And they went through a lot of s--- to build their character. That’s what attracted me to them: They’re genuine.”

Pleased with his images of Harris, Sanders sought other World War II vets to pose for him and eventually launched an ongoing portrait series. Some of those images are featured on this Web page in recognition of National Military Appreciation Month.

Sanders, who lives now in Los Angles, hopes to secure sponsorship for his project and expand it nationwide. Learn more about him and see a portfolio of his work at http://tomsandersphoto.com.