PHOTOS: Lawrence Brooks, America’s oldest WWII veteran, celebrates turning 110
Brooks served in the Pacific Theater in New Guinea and the Philippines in the predominantly African-American 91st Engineer Battalion that helped make runways for planes.
by Matthew Hinton
September 13, 2019
Army and World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks was adorned with kisses Thursday as he celebrated his 110th birthday in New Orleans at the National WWII Museum.
The New Orleans-native was honored in an annual tradition that started in 2014 at the museum. Brooks said the secret to a long life is to be nice to people.
Brooks served in the Pacific Theater in New Guinea and the Philippines in the predominantly African-American 91st Engineer Battalion that helped make runways for planes. Brooks chuckled as he recounted how he was in a C-47 plane similar to the one hanging in the museum’s ceiling when the engine failed and only the pilot and co-pilot had parachutes.
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