In a search for history and understanding, two RMC students found a remarkable friendship with a pair of World War II veterans.

When Kayla Smith ‘23 was unable to take a formal class on World War II like she had hoped, she and her best friend, Hannah Winton ‘25, set out on a mission. If they couldn’t learn about the war in the classroom, they were going to learn about it from veterans.

To say she aced her personal journey to unearth history would be a dramatic understatement.

Smith, who has since earned her B.A. in history and archaeology, and Winton focused first on locating veterans from the Greatest Generation, seeking to hear firsthand about their experiences. They were introduced to Andy Valero and Leo Dormon, two decorated World War II vets in the Tidewater area who are both 99.

Smith and Winton began making frequent trips from Ashland to Hampton Roads, visiting both men, spending hours listening, absorbing, and asking questions. The lives of the young women, just embarking on adulthood, intermingled with the lives of men who had witnessed war and the Great Depression.

“The relationship we were able to forge with Leo and Andy was completely unexpected,” Winton said.

“We have gotten very close to them,” added Smith.

Smith’s interest in World War II is focused on infantry and Winton’s on aviation. Valero, who served in the U.S. Army, has the ground combat covered and Dormon, who was an aviator in the U.S. Navy, shares his experience flying. Together, Valero and Dormon elevate the two women’s understanding with their diverse perspectives on military combat. They are able to enlighten Smith and Winton, filling in the blanks and rounding out their knowledge bases.

Two years later, the women still make the drive down from Ashland as often as they can, talking to the men about their years in the war, but also about their lives, career aspirations, and personal goals. They all laugh and cry together as they recount the ups and downs they have endured.

“I have been so thankful to see them both,” Dormon said. “Taking the time to visit an aging person takes courage and a lot of patience. It makes my life so much happier. Bless them both.”

Beyond Talking

As they have learned more about Valero and Dormon, Smith and Winton have shifted from being just listeners, to being active participants in the men’s worlds. The young women have accompanied them to funerals, reunions, commemorations, and more. They want the men to be able to participate in as many experiences as possible at this stage of their lives.

“There are so many things I couldn’t have done without them,” Valero said. “They have been like family to me. I always look forward to them coming…I get emotional and I get excited.”

The young women helped Valero track down the story of a fellow soldier, who he witnessed become critically wounded at the end of the Battle of Remagen. Smith and Winton learned that the soldier had survived the serious injuries, and went on to live a full life. Though he died recently, being able to tell Valero that this man he’d wondered about had made it home was hugely humbling and rewarding for Smith and Winton.

“I hope we were able to give Andy some closure,” Smith said. “He told me once that when he came home from the war that nobody talked about it. But now after almost 80 years, he can tell me about it and that every time I come visit, I bring more and more back to him.”

In January, Smith and Winton accompanied Valero to Arlington, Va., for a Battle of the Bulge commemoration, during which they were hosted at the Belgian ambassador’s home for lunch with other veterans.

“When I first brought the commemoration up to Andy, he said, ‘I’m too old. The battle was how many years ago?’ And bit by bit, I worked on getting him there. It’s one of my proudest achievements,” Smith said.

At Arlington, they took Valero to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“I remember Andy shaking while Hannah and I helped him place the wreath,” Smith said.  “Afterward, a historian for Arlington came up and interviewed him and asked what he was thinking about. I will never forget what he said: ‘The Bulge. And all my friends we left in Belgium.’”

When Smith presented him a certificate she created for him and had Belgian officials sign, Valero cried.

“We both did,” she said. “He was touched by the Belgians’ gesture of kindness and that they still remember what the Americans did for them,” she said.

A Mutual Friendship 

The joy of their friendship certainly goes both ways. Smith found the relationships helped her to see light after a tragic period during college that included losing her father to suicide and the deaths of several other family members.

“I was so distraught and traumatized by losing so many people in such a short period of time that it felt like my life had stopped for three years,” Smith recalled. “But getting to talk to people who had seen so much, who had been through hell, and came home and lived a happy life and got married and had children really brought me a great deal of comfort. It made me feel like I had a fresh start and that there was hope for me.” 

When Smith began making plans for her wedding after graduation, Valero jumped right into the planning. On her big day,  Valero and Dormon were both in attendance. 

The men have also had a strong influence in shaping Winton and Smith’s trajectories as they embark on their careers. Winton, a nursing major, is now working toward becoming a pilot. And if she does receive a coveted pilot slot, she knows exactly who is going to be standing by her side.

“I would love for Leo to pin my wings,” she said with a huge smile.

Of the 16 million men and women who served in World War II, there are fewer than 115,000 alive today. Each day, approximately 131 of those veterans die. Smith and Winton are working tirelessly to ensure that they document as much of Valero and Dormon’s lives as possible. As huge history buffs, the women relish the idea of delving into history with the people who made it.

“If you don’t learn it, you are condemned to repeat it,” Winton said. “History is quite literally walking around with us, but they’re dying everyday. Every story deserves to be told before it’s too late. Moving forward with my life, I will carry with me the strength that these men have had their whole lives.”

Their work continues. On a recent afternoon visit, Winton presented Valero with a U.S. passport application—her latest endeavor to keep Valero as connected to his war comrades as possible. The young women hope to accompany him to Belgium next year for a reunion.

The foursome believe the relationships forged have filled voids in all of their lives they didn’t know they had, and created a true sense of completeness and joy. The men will leave a legacy, empowering Smith and Winton to stand tall, accomplish their dreams, and walk in their footsteps with strength and optimism.