WWII Veteran turns 100

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-  A World War II Veteran turns 100 years old. Reaching this milestone has made him think back on life events.

Dean Taylor reached triple digits on the age chart. He was a member of the United States Army and served in WWII from 1941 until 1945. Taylor said he wasn’t sure if he was ever going to make it back to the U.S. when he went into combat.

“We have to make the Invasion of Shawano, and I was in the combat troops. They were shooting at me, and I was shooting at them. Thank God none of them hit me,” said Taylor.

Taylor was injured while in combat during the War.

“I got banged up in Casino. That’s up above Rome. They reclassified me, had me unfit for combat duty. They put me in the signal core. Then I got to go all over Europe,” said Taylor.

Taylor said when he got back to the United States, he kissed the ground. Since the War, he has out lived most of him family members including his wife.

“She was a good woman, I’m telling you. That was one of the bad days,” said Taylor.

Taylor said he has had more good days than bad throughout his life. His secret for living as long as he has is something we have all heard thousands of times. Stay active and exercise.

“My son had a party a couple of days ago, and I played two games of, what was that game again, Corn Hole, and I didn’t know I could reach down and pick, and I did that,” said Taylor.

When he goes out for exercise, he goes out and walks the mall, every day, and during those walks, he thinks about points of his life. One of which being one the happiest moments of his life when he was inducted into his school’s Hall of Fame.

“I went to New Concord High School, and I played Football and Basketball, which I was pretty good in. I went into the Hall, they took me in the Hall of Fame, and that was great for me,” said Taylor.

Taylor 100th birthday party brought friends and family together and also plenty of memories.