Lawrence Brooks is 110 years old and thanks to his time with the Army’s 91st Engineer Battalion, he is America’s oldest living WWII veteran. He reached the rank of private first class.
He served in the war from 1941-1945 in Australia and New Guinea.
According to a CBS News, Brooks credits his long life to long walks and chewing gum, which he picked up to quit smoking cigarettes.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about 400,000 of the 16 million who served in the Second World War are still alive.
Brooks has five children of his own, five stepchildren, 12 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. He appropriately spent his most recent birthday at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans with family, friends and even strangers who wanted to share their respect.
“The lord was just good to me,” he said.