Across the nation veterans were recognized for their service Tuesday. One of those vets was, in 1945, a 18 year-old from a small South Dakota town.

Carroll Peterson was hit by shrapnel in his leg as he tried to cross a river. Any service member injured or killed in action is supposed to receive a Purple Heart. For Peterson, that recognition finally came Tuesday.

As a soldier, Carroll Peterson saw some of the worst war can offer. He was at the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the first liberators to arrive at the German concentration camp, Buchenwald. "Human beings that just looked like skeletons you know."

In February 1945 he was trying to cross a river in Luxembourg in a flat bottom boat. Carroll tells KSFY, "during one of those assault deals I was wounded by shrapnel." Today, 63 years later, Carroll finally was awarded that long overdue Purple Heart.

Senator John Thune presented the medals. "It's hard not to appreciate the great sacrifice that the people of his generation made. They literally freed a continent, they literally won a war and they literally saved the world."

Friends, family and other members of the Disabled American Veterans organization showed their support as Carroll was recognized Tuesday. He said it kinda' finalizes the situation. Simple words from a soldier who sacrificed, suffered and above all, served. "It's there in your memory. Those kind of things you only do once in a lifetime."

KSFY had a chance to talk with Carroll's son before the presentation. He said he never knew his dad had been injured until just a couple months ago.