The second World War took mothers and fathers from their families and sent wide-eyed teens barely old enough to shave to foreign battlefields such as Normandy and Iwo Jima.

In all, more than 400,000 Americans died in World War II. Today, about 5 million of its veterans are still alive. But they are dying at a rate of about 1,100 per day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Those still living consider it their duty to pass on their tales of war to future generations.

World War II veterans Roy Rolig (from left) Bill Adams and Carl Schutte gather each week at the North Augusta American Legion post to share war stories with younger veterans. The three say they enlisted to fulfill their duty to the United States. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/CHRIS THELEN/STAFF

They are men like Roy Rolig, who helped liberate Jews from the Nazi concentration camps; Carl Schutte, who saw many of his comrades perish on a torpedoed troop ship on Christmas Eve 1944; and Bill Adams, who graduated from high school in 1943 and enlisted in the Army soon after. Of the 14 men Mr. Adams graduated with, 13 joined the military. The odd man out had a heart murmur and was disqualified.

With the nation's safety in question, Mr. Adams said there was never any question about enlisting.

''At the time we were just doing our jobs,'' said Mr. Adams, now 76.

Mr. Rolig and Mr. Schutte said they too were simply fulfilling their duty by serving. Mr. Rolig served in the Army's 187th Signal Repair Company; Mr. Schutte was a captain in the Army's 66th Infantry Division.

Each week the men gather at North Augusta's American Legion post. Over breakfast, they share tales, make jokes and talk about golf. Younger men, such as 30-year-old Michael Strauss, listen.

''You can learn a lot about the history,'' said Mr. Strauss, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. ''It's history you're not going to hear about in the books.

''These are the guys that fought on the front lines. These guys have some stories to tell.''