DENVER -- Millions of men and women have donned the uniform to fight for our country, but many have never been properly honored for their sacrifice.

Sixty-three years ago, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Max Brown landed on Iwo Jima.

"We were in a pretty serious fire fight and all hell broke loose and grenades were flying back and forth," said Brown.

Brown said he remembers an explosion behind him and then noticing blood on his back and dripping from his ear. A medic came to help him. Five minutes later, as he fought on, the medic was killed, he said.

"There was no evidence," said Brown. "Nothing was ever written about this happening to me."

To this day, Brown has shrapnel embedded in his back, but Brown said because he could not prove where he got the wounds he was unable to get the Purple Heart.

For his actions, on Wednesday Brown will receive a Bronze Star and Purple Heart at a ceremony in Aurora.

"It gives me shivers to think I am going to be so honored," said Brown.

The veteran said he never really cared about the medals until 20 years ago.

"As you age and we are slowly dying off, I got to thinking I would like to have it," said Brown. "I would like to have it for my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren."

Unlike other medals Brown has received, he said the Purple Heart and Bronze Star will make him feel fulfilled.

Also fulfilling his life right now is teaching. Brown, along with the Greatest Generations Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is going into schools to teach youth about past wars and the military.

"We have not educated our young people about the war and what we went through," said Brown. "What we paid for this liberty and we have got to do it."