NORTHAMPTON — When he was growing up, Daniel Nye says the presence of World War II vets had been “pretty ubiquitous.” Now he says, “they seem to have disappeared.”

In his day-to-day work, which involves daily interaction with veterans in his role as a veterans service officer with Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services, a Northampton-based agency that serves communities throughout western Massachusetts, Nye said “we deal with almost no World War II vets anymore,” as the Greatest Generation approaches their mid-90s at their youngest.

That’s why Nye is spearheading an event this spring to bring together veterans from that era for a special recognition celebration. Details are being ironed out, but in the meantime officials from Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services are putting out a call for veterans and their families from throughout the region to reach out to them so they can be included in the celebration, which is tentatively being planned for April or May.

Nye said he wants to organize the event for fear that he will read the obituaries one day and realize, “Oh, that was the last one.”

“It would be a great disservice if we didn’t try to do something” said Nye.

In its search for veterans, Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services said finding veterans is a challenge.

“Many now live with family, in long-term care facilities, or have quietly stepped out of the public eye. Despite our best efforts and resources, it can be incredibly difficult to identify who is still with us, and too often, we don’t learn about them until it’s too late,” they write.

Nye realized the reality of the dwindling number of World War II veterans at last year’s Veterans Day lunch in Hadley, which featured two vets from the era, one who served in the U.S. Army and another who served as a U.S. Navy Wave, both of whom were 103 years old. This was a stark contrast to his experience of welcoming numerous WWII veterans years ago as an organizer for Williamsburg’s Veterans Observance Ceremony.

Some 16 million people served in WWII between 1941-1945. According to data from the U.S. Veterans Administration dated Sept. 30, 2023, there are 100,000 vets, including 6,000 women, from that era still alive nationwide. Their median age is 98. A decade from now, in 2034, the number is expected to drop to about 1,000 remaining from the conflict.

Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services does not have data on the numbers of WWII vets in the region, but for context, Director Steve Connor said he knows of two in Northampton, a city of almost 30,000.

Connor related that many veteran stories have gone untold, due to personal traumas repressed by those who have engaged in combat, or seen their own friends die on the battlefield, and soon the living narrators of this era will be silenced forever.

“One of the tough parts of my job the past 20 years has been family members who say, ‘Dad or uncle never talked about it until he died,’” said Connor.

He said the event this spring is “wonderful for anyone who cares about history and doesn’t want to repeat the same mistakes.”

For more information or to let Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services know of a veteran from this era, contact Nye at vetadmin@northampton.gov or call 413-587-1299.

Samuel Gelinas can be reached at sgelinas@gazettenet.com.