Sidney Walton, from San Diego and one of the country's last WWII vets, passed away Saturday in Santa Monica surrounded by his family, a statement released said.
Walton was born on February 11, 1919, and was on a national "No Regrets Tour" visiting all 50 states and meeting all 50 governors to raise awareness of the diminishing number of WWII veterans and the sacrifices they made.
Last Tuesday, Walton visited Oklahoma and met with Gov. Kevin Stitt. Oklahoma was his 40th state.
"My father was a living piece of history, reminding us not to forget the price of our freedoms today. He inspired tremendous appreciation for all veterans," Walton's son Paul said in a statement.
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The veteran was stationed in Asia with the Army during World War II, before going on to a career as a chemical engineer. Walton said the idea for the No Regrets Tour came from the regret of never meeting some of the last Civil War veterans
Walton has met the presidents of the U.S. and France, was honored at the 2020 Super Bowl, celebrated a birthday on the Today Show, was featured on World News Tonight, and received the 2020 Unsung Hero Patriot Award.
Funeral services will be held in San Diego. A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for expenses.