It doesn’t always matter how many battles you have had to fight in your life… Sometimes you just make it all the way to 100 no matter what.
A man by the name of Jack Koser is living proof of this.
Born in 1919, he was enlisted in the Army Air Corps all the way back in 1940. He was sent to fly 23 missions against Japan. Now, the veteran is celebrating his 100th birthday! But he still remembers everything very clearly, as if it was yesterday.
A stroke in the past altered his speech a bit, but he’s still well and kicking.
Tinian is where he was based back in the army days. That is where the Enola Gay was prepped to carry the atomic bomb.
He flew a B-29 with the 6th Bomb Group, 39th Bombardment Group and the 313th Bombardment Wing of the 20th Air Force during the war. “I could hear the rumblings of war,” the veteran reflected on his war days.
“Some of them were easy. Some of them were tough,” he said. While he may make it sound easy, like no big deal, it was very much a big deal. A huge deal in fact, since he was the only known pilot to roll a B-29 Superfortress and survive. His modesty is clear!
“I loved the Air Force. I loved flying,” he continued.
Born in 1919. Retired Colonel Jack Koser has a lot to celebrate. He flew 23 millions in a B-29 during WWII. Today he celebrates his 100th birthday! @fox13news #Bradenton pic.twitter.com/yqtmkOeTiQ
— Kim Kuizon FOX 13 (@kkuizon) November 8, 2019
After that, Jack was President Truman’s personal aide at the Post War Pentagon. He continued to serve his country for another 24 years after the war and then retired at the rank of colonel.
“I feel good,” he shared of the big one-oh-oh. Very recently he was celebrating it with family by his side. Apparently, for Jack, he only has one wish now and that is to make it to 102.
It is important to acknowledge just how important veterans are. They selflessly fought for this country, and they fought hard.
We hear many touching stories about veterans everday, like the army veteran with PTSD who wrote a children’s book. He wrote it so that his daughter and other people can hopefully learn how to understand that very complex condition.
“After I read the first book to my daughter I remember her saying, ‘I’m sorry you have a fire in your chest now dad’ she was four at the time. That’s something I’m always going to remember,” said the veteran author.
Also not too long ago a female WWII veteran celebrated her — wait for it — 104th birthday! Her name is Ruth “Buttercup” Sparks and she joined the U.S. Navy in 1945. She also one of the last living female WWII veterans.
She worked as both a mechanic and a secretary in the war. It was part of the U.S. WAVES Program (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during that time.
Sparks then asked if she could go to Texas and she ended up spending the rest of her life there.
We’re happy that most of these veterans find a well deserved happy ending.
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