On Thursday, the country’s oldest World War II veteran turned 111-years-old. Richard Overton, who served in WWII as a corporal in the all-black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion for the U.S. Army Air Forces, will be celebrating this year’s birth with a neighborhood block party, My Statesman reported.
Overton was born on May 11, 1906 and received the title of America’s oldest living veteran after the unfortunate passing of veteran Frank Levingston.
Last year, he told TODAY that the secret to his long lasting life is to chain smoke cigars, have a little whiskey with morning coffee and to eat fried catfish and peanut butter ice cream regularly. When it comes which whiskey he likes, Overton told My Statesman, “I like any kind you’ll bring me.”
Over the past few years, Overton has gained a lot of media attention for being the oldest living World War II veteran.
“It’s all right,” Overton told My Statesman about his fame. “It’s something different. I like it.”
The local paper also reported that Biden recently stopped Overton’s home for a visit.
“It was a nice visit. I just talk to him like I do to you,” Overton said. “He’s human.”
Overton told TODAY during an interview last year that he plans on living a long time.
“If man had [control over longevity], I’d have been dead, but God’s got it, and he’s keeping me well,” Overton said during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in November 2007.
Watch this short documentary on Overton to learn about his fascinating life:
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