Three World War II veterans were honored Wednesday night in Haddonfield, New Jersey, through multi-generational presentations.

As part of "Haddonfield Salutes a Century of Service," students from Haddonfield Memorial High School interviewed the veterans, documented their stories, and presented them to the community inside the First Baptist Church of Haddonfield. The students say they each spent about 10 hours on their projects.

The event is part of Community Conversations, a new initiative by American Legion Post 38 designed to preserve veterans' stories while they can still be told firsthand.

One of those stories belonged to Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Reilly, 99, who spent decades telling his own history; this time, however, he listened as student Johanna Richards shared it back to him.

"It was great to have such a delightful young lady," Reilly said. "I could've talked with her for hours, the way she listened to me."

Richards says retelling Reilly's life story was an honor.

"I feel like I'm living in history right now," she said. "It's so exciting."

Another student, Luke Patterson, profiled Tuskegee Airman Eugene Richardson Jr., 100. Richardson Jr. said he really valued his time with Patterson.

"This young man comes over to my house to visit me, it made me feel important," he said.

Patterson said he couldn't imagine being a teenager during the start of World War II.

"I can't imagine what that felt like … hearing that Pearl Harbor had been attacked … but it wasn't like he got drafted and he didn't want to go, he signed up as soon as he possibly could," he said. "He wanted to serve his country, so that's really inspiring."

The third veteran, 102-year-old Chief Petty Officer Thelbert "Pug" Snyder, was unable to attend due to recent health issues. His great-grandson sat in for him as 18-year-old Pete Simpson told his story. 

Simpson said, of his interviewing experience, "I feel like that's like talking to a celebrity almost."

Reilly said the process was uplifting. 

"After all these years, there's a lot of stuff that is built up … but it brings back a lot of happy memories," he said.

Organizers say Wednesday's ceremony was only the second Community Conversations event, and they're already planning the next one, set for Jan. 21, focused on breast cancer research and awareness.