MACON, Ga. — On Sunday an old plane landed at Lowe's Aviation to surprise a veteran who hadn't seen one since the war.
Grover Sassaman looks at a F4U Corsair plane for the first time since the 1940s.
"Man, that looks familiar," he said.
Sassaman served in the Marines as an aircraft mechanic during World War II. He was part of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington's famous "Black Sheep Squadron," which fought Japanese forces on the Solomon Islands.
After almost 80 years apart, Sassaman says the aircraft hasn't changed a bit.
"I think it's wonderful," said Sassaman.
Thirty other veterans, Patriot Guard Riders, and military personnel joined in on Sassaman's reunion with the plane.
"We need to give to those that served, serve, and will serve in the future, and those that have given the ultimate sacrifice for what's behind us, the red, white, and blue. They sacrificed their lives so we can get out of the bed in the morning and realize that we're free," said Melvin Smith.
One of Sassaman's biggest accomplishments is combining two F4U Corsairs into one plane.
"I got it finished, and he did a flight test on it, he says, 'Sergeant, why didn't you tell me you could do work like that?' I said, 'I did, you wouldn't listen,'" said Sassaman.
At 98-years-old, Sassaman still remembers working closely with this type of plane.
"You can tell the difference in a Jap engine by the way the engine sounds. Instead of having a buzz sound like that, they had a humming. We called them washing machines," said Sassaman.
Since he left the war, he's devoted his life to Harley Davidson.
"It's just a way of life that I have right now," he said.
Dozens of motorcyclists lined up to see Sassaman waiting to shake his hand and show their appreciation for him serving our country.
Sassaman started Harley Davidson of Macon. He has worked as a motorcycle dealer since the 1940s.
When he left the war he received a Purple Heart after being injured in a battle.
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