LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Local veterans of the U.S. Coast Guard are sharing their remembrances of service, going back to World War II. It's part of an effort by the guard to record the histories of service members. 

"This is important because a lot of people do not realize the sacrifice of the people who served this country and protected our freedom," said Richard Stephenson, national historian for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. "This brings history alive."

On Tuesday, Stephenson interviewed 97-year-old Marti Rowe of Fort Myers and 89-year-old Dorothy Kurtz of North Port.   Both served in the Guard during World War II. Rowe worked on ships on the Great Lakes that transported iron ore and coal for the war effort. Kurtz was one of the first female members of the guard's reserves. She was known as a "SPAR," an acronym for Semper Paratus, Always Ready. That is the motto for the coast guard.

"Oh mercy, I just love the coast guard," said Kurtz. "I was just so interested and excited to go into service in late 1942. I wanted to do something to help the war effort."

Rowe agrees.

"I was tickled to join the guard and work on the lakes, because that meant I would not be drafted and sent overseas to shoot at people! We were glad to serve," he told WINK News.

The guard is recording the oral histories because so many of its World War II veterans are passing away.  

Kurtz will travel to California in March to see the launching of the cutter, Dorothy Stratton.  It is named for the woman who commaned the unit that Kurtz served in, from 1943 to '46.

You can find out more about the history project  by going to this website:

www.coastguardaux.org/history