WWII vet celebrates 100th birthday
This was George McCarthy’s special day. As if turning 100 wasn’t special enough, it was about to get even better for the World War II veteran.
McCarthy walked into American Legion Post 17 in Lewes to a hero’s welcome and a big cake during a surprise party May 2.
“I don’t feel like 100. I never felt like any age,” he said.
Post Commander Steve Missimer even asked him for ID, not believing he was really as old as he claimed.
McCarthy was surprised and a little emotional at the outpouring of love he received from everyone at Post 17.
Before McCarthy walked out that day, he was finally a member of the American Legion for the first time. Even though McCarthy had been a regular at Post 17, he had never joined.
Ed Bergen, Post 17 past president, presented McCarthy with his formal American Legion hat.
“I never [joined] after all these years. I was too busy raising five children,” McCarthy said.
He now has seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. “That’s a total family,” he said.
McCarthy got birthday wishes from far and wide.
“My cellphone hasn’t stopped ringing since I got up. My neighbors brought me a can of Guinness,” he said.
Post 17 Auxiliary member Susan Gasper presented McCarthy with birthday cards, some from a Cub Scout troop in Hanover Township, Pa.
“I share some of my grandfather’s stories with George when I talk to him about World War II. It’s special to me,” Gasper said.
McCarthy grew up in New Jersey. He said his life changed Dec. 7, 1941.
“We were just a bunch of kids. We didn’t know where Pearl Harbor was,” McCarthy said.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and, at 18 years old, found himself half a world away in Kunming, in southwest China.
McCarthy served in the China-Burma-India theater, the CBI. He was a technical supply expediter. His job was to bring supplies across the Himalayan Mountains on the dangerous air route known as The Hump.
“I wouldn’t take a nickel to do it again, but I wouldn’t take a million dollars to [change] it. It was a great experience,” he said.
McCarthy came home in 1945, safe and sound. He got married to his wife, Doris, which he called the best thing that ever happened in his life. Doris passed away in 1999.
McCarthy worked in the manufacturing industry and later for one of his sons in the lighting industry.
“It just proves one thing: hard work will never kill ya,” he said.
McCarthy eventually settled in Bayonne, N.J., where he got to see the good and the ugly.
“I could look out my window and see the Statue of Liberty. But, same thing, I could see the towers come down. I was in my kitchen, had the window open and the smoke came right in when they went down,” he said.
McCarthy now lives in Lewes with his daughter and son-in-law. He is in good health and loving life.
“I don’t even take any medications,” he said.
McCarthy will be in the lead Jeep in the Lewes Memorial Day Parade, proudly wearing his American Legion hat.
