Justice - April 2, 2018

ANNOUNCER: Just 18 years old, Private Arla Harrell served his country in 1945, when the U.S. government subjected Private Harrell to toxic mustard gas experiments and ordered him to keep it a secret for decades.

RAY HARRELL: I always wondered about Dad. He always never seemed quite right.

BEVERLY HOWE (daughter of Arla Harrell): He had difficulty breathing, and just moving around was very difficult.

TRISH AYERS (daughter of Arla Harrell): To think of what my dad could have had as a life.

HOWE: My parents have had so many denials from the VA.

AYERS: Basically they were saying it didn't happen to Dad. And he kept that secret for so long.

MCCASKILL: Fifty years he couldn't talk about it – to anybody – and then when he finally could, the government says to him, we don't believe you? We went to work. First thing I did is I took on the Pentagon. Then I took on the VA.

ANNOUNCER: Claire McCaskill got Arla Harrell the justice he deserved and made sure all those mistreated veterans could receive their benefits.

HOWE: I feel like she's a family member who cares about my father.

AYERS: It gave me new hope.

MCCASKILL: I'm Claire McCaskill. I approve this message.