WWII vet, 101, 'finally' walks at graduation 80 years after having to miss ceremony amid global war

Eighty years after missing his college graduation ceremony, a 101-year-old WWII vet walked the stage and officially received his diploma on Sunday, May 14, in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

"Every able-bodied man and lots of women were involved in World War II," Fred Taylor of La Mesa, California, told Fox News Digital.

"I think 16 million altogether," Taylor added. "I have no regrets about going into the service." He went on, "I really enjoyed flying. My only regret is missing my graduation ceremony, as you normally would end your senior year."

Taylor joined more than 200 graduates of the Cornell College Class of 2023 — and when he did, they embraced him as one of their own.