'Our country is going to hell in a hand-basket': WWII veteran celebrating 100th birthday breaks down in TEARS while discussing current state of America
- Remembering his time in the Marines, Carl Spurlin Dekle said that while fighting in the war was his biggest pride, soldiers had not died for the America of today
- 'People don't realize what they have,' he said. 'The things we did and the things we fought for and the boys that died for it, it's all gone down the drain'
- A wave of violence, mass shootings, inflation increase, and overturns of landmark decisions by the highest court have hindered the country's morale
- It comes amid plummeting approval ratings for those in the country's highest offices, including President Joe Biden
A World War II Florida veteran celebrating his 100th birthday broke down in tears as he gave a heartbreaking assessment of the state of the country he fought for 80 years ago, saying 'it's going to hell in a hand-basket.'
Reminiscing about his time in the Marines, Plant City veteran Carl Spurlin Dekle said that while fighting in the war was his biggest pride, slain soldiers had not died for the America of today.
'People don't realize what they have,' Dekle told Fox13.
'The things we did and the things we fought for and the boys that died for it, it's all gone down the drain. Our country is going to hell in a hand-basket.'
Dekle became inconsolable as he spoke about the contrasts between the America he grew up in and the current state of affairs in the country.
His remarks came during an interview to commemorate Dekle's 100th birthday, which the Silver-medal holder spent with friends and family.
Speaking to the Plant City Courier & Tribune in 2009, Dekle highlighted the sacrifices he and many of his Marine Corps friends had made for Americans to enjoy their freedom.
'I want the young kids to realize that freedom comes with a heavy price. It isn't given to people out of the goodness of others,' he told the outlet at the time.
'It's something you have to fight and sometimes die for.'
Reminiscing about his time in the Marines, Tampa Bay veteran Carl Spurlin Dekle said that while fighting in the war was his biggest pride, slain soldiers had not died for the America of today
Dekle fought in the Pacific more than 75 years ago
His remarks came during an interview to commemorate Dekle's 100th birthday, which the Silver-medal holder spent with friends and family
Dekle said he had lived a good life and hinted at his appreciation for the little things as the reason behind his longevity and good health.
'I really believe in this whole world and believe everything is beautiful. I mean if I wake up in the morning and see these plants, and all of those flowers, and the green grass in the ground, that's beautiful,' he told Fox13.
Dekle proudly showed off his many medals from his time in the Marines. Among them, a Silver Star he was awarded for fighting in the First Marine Division during World War II.
'He inspired his unit to exert maximum effort in assisting to capture and destroy the enemy position,' a description of the award on The Wall of Valor Project website reads.
'By his personal courage, bold leadership and staunch devotion to duty, Sergeant Dekle upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.'
But the war veteran burst into tears in front of the cameras last week when thinking about the friends he had lost to the war, and hinted that Americans have not been appreciative of those ultimate sacrifices.
'We haven't got the country we had when I was raised, not at all,' he said.
'Nobody will have the fun I had. Nobody will have the opportunity I had. It's just not the same. And that's not what our boys, that's not what they died for.'
Dekle's birthday was also celebrated at the Plant city Church of God on Sunday
Dekle's unit in British Samoa
Dekle proudly showed his many medals from his time in the Marines.
Dekle said he had lived a good life and hinted at his appreciation for life and the little things as the reason behind his longevity and good health
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Dekle's birthday and Independence Day were jointly celebrated at the Plant City Church of God on Sunday.
Talking about his times in the Marines, Dekle told the Courier & Tribune that World War II veterans were too busy fighting for our nation's freedom to celebrate the Fourth of July.
It is unclear what specifically Dekle referred to, but a recent wave of violent crime, mass shootings, inflation, and landmark decisions by America's highest court have hindered the country's morale.
A Gallup poll released in June revealed that a record-high 50 percent of Americans rated the U.S.'s moral values as 'poor.'
78 percent said the values in America are getting worse, and only 12 percent rated the state of moral values as 'good.' Just 1 percent rated them as 'excellent.'
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