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Americaās Oldest World War II Veteran Receives Flyover For 111th Birthday
āŖ Americaās oldest World War II veteran received a military flyover for his 111th birthday on Saturday as the coronavirus changed plans for a more traditional birthday celebration…
Last year, New Orleans native and World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks received cupcakes, music, and lots of kisses at the National WWII Museum as the facility hosted him for a birthday party for the fifth year in a row.
This year, the celebration came to him because of the coronavirus pandemic, as heĀ watchedĀ from his porch while an entire squadron of WWII-era aircraft did a flyover in his neighborhood, theĀ Times-PicayuneĀ reported.
Brooksās official birthday is on September 12, 1909, and he served in the black 91st Engineer Battalion during the war, according to a press release from the museum.
Brooks and his unit were stationed in New Guinea and the Philippines during WWII, the Military TimesĀ reported. The museum said he was a private first class who served three white officers in his battalion. āI feel great, feel wonderful,ā BrooksĀ toldĀ WWL after he visited the New Orleans VA Hospital on Thursday.
On Saturday, Brooks danced while the Victory Belles performed on the sidewalk in front of his home and sang āLift Evāry Voice and Singā and āBoogie Woogie Bugle Boy (of Company B),ā theĀ PicayuneĀ reported.
The WWII museum encouraged everyone to send Brooks birthday cards, and he had received nearly 10,000 birthday cards by his birthday. The 9,768 birthday cards, packages, and letters came from all 50 states plus the Virgin Islands, Guam, and five other countries, theĀ PicayuneĀ reported.
During the ceremony and the socially distanced car parade that followed in front of his house, Brooks smiled and waved. āGod bless all of you. Every one of you,ā BrooksĀ saidĀ as he wore a New Orleans Saints mask.
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