Bay Area photographer immortalizes Palos Verdes WWII veterans on film

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (KABC) -- Photographer Thomas Sanders returned to Belmont Village to photograph Palos Verdes WWII veterans. The Bay Area photographer has made it his life's work to photograph WWII veterans before they are all gone.

Belmont Village commissioned Tom to photograph residents across the country for its American Heroes Project. The result was the award-winning book, "The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of WWII."

The visit to the Belmont Village Senior Living Community in Rancho Palos Verdes is to capture still photos and words of veterans with memorabilia from their war experience. The portraits will become a part Belmont Village's permanent gallery called "American Heroes: Portraits of Service."

Sanders has photographed veterans for the past 10 years, gathering a portfolio of more than 600 images. The compelling stories and iconic portraits offer the final chapter on a piece of American history.