CLAY CITY, Ind. (NewsNation) — World War II veteran Earl Orman recently celebrated his 100th birthday, with the help of his Indiana community.
He reached the milestone Sunday, and had a celebration with the Clay City Fire Department and his 97-year-old brother, who also served in World War II.
Orman credits his longevity to his ability to stay healthy for all these years.
According to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, in 2021, 240,329 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were still alive.
On its website, the museum said 234 are dying every day.
In Indiana, where Orman lives, there are 4,780 living WWII veterans.
Earlier this year, Lawrence Brooks, the oldest known living American veteran of World War II, died at the age of 112. Brooks’ latest birthday celebration, last September, included a drive-by parade to ensure social distancing during the pandemic, a military flyover of his New Orleans shotgun house and a serenade by the National World War II Museum’s singing trio, according to NPR.
Forbes reported in 2020 that the last living U.S. WWII veteran is expected to die in 2043.