Duane Sherman still has shrapnel in his back from when a kamikaze plane slammed into the ship he served during World War II. He was a chief sonarman aboard the USS Lamson when he lost 30 shipmates during that action.

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Now living in California, Sherman looks forward to mail call every day. So in early December, he kept asking his daughter what came in the mail that day. The war veteran kept looking for birthday cards to commemorate his upcoming 96th birthday. But day after day, no such greeting.

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"All my friends are gone" Duane said.

This was nearly a month ago in anticipation of his birthday. His daughter turned to Facebook, hoping anyone would find it in their heart to send her father a birthday card.

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By the time the chief's 96th trip around the sun hit on Dec. 30, 2018, Sherman had received more than 50,000 birthday cards from people in all 50 states and 10 countries. A salute from folks he'll most likely never see in this lifetime.

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