Empath Health's Veteran's History Project celebrates 100 interviews with a 100-year-old veteran

CLEARWATER, Fla. - For World War II veteran Joseph Greco, serving his country was his duty. He and some of his band of brothers are giving an oral historical account of their military service. 

WWII Army Veteran Joseph Greco is reaching a milestone. 

"I'm about to turn 100," said Greco.

To help celebrate his centennial birthday, Joseph is taking part in the Empath Health's Veteran's History Project. The project's goal is to preserve personal accounts of American War Vets. 

"I was 17 years old. I was happy to be in and have felt like I'm getting a uniform. Look at me yea," added Greco.

The effort to collect these important stories started in 2005 and Joseph is the 100th veteran to be interview about his military service. 

"So when we realized we were coming so close to such a milestone, we thought, what better way to commemorate one hundred veterans stories than capture the story of a centenarian and our World War II veterans,"  explained Empath Health Suncoast Hospice's Trudy Beeler. 

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Joseph was one of seven brothers who served their country during World War II. 

"When we all got home, the neighbors put a big chair in the middle of the street and everybody danced around the chairs when everybody started to come out of the service after the war was over," Greco recalled.

 The documented video recordings will be stored in the Library of Congress. 

"Those stories are becoming few and far between as we lose the great generation, the greatest generation," said Beeler. "So it's a really exciting and unique opportunity that we have to capture Joe's story." 

The project is a perfect opportunity to record historical accounts of veterans who served their country.