Veteran makes wooden statues for other vets

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A World war II veteran is honoring military troops in a very special way - creating wooden statues of our troops. 

At 91-years-old, Dick Mattie loves working in his wood shop, making statues inspired by the story of a parishioner at his church.

Dick's inspiration for the statues came during church services last year when he learned on one of the parishioner's was a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down in Vietnam. 

"I made him one and then I found out that his wife was a sergeant in the Army," Mattie said. "So then I started making the women ones."

Mattie served on a submarine in the South Pacific during World War II.

"Actually the boat that I was on, we sunk 13 ships," Mattie said. "I like giving them to veterans and I will give them to anyone who is a veteran."

Mattie has handcrafted more than 300 wooden statues. He works on them a couple of hours each day.

"It makes me feel good," Mattie explained. "And when they say 'thanks,' that's all I need."

Honoring those who have made the greatest sacrifice for their country, in a very personal way, is what he lives for.