WWII Vet Marks 100th Birthday Above Tennessee Airport

TN – William Hartshorn, a WWII vet in beautiful Signal Mountain, Tennessee, just turned 100. To honor his service, the man served as the grand marshal of the Fourth of July Parade on Signal Mountain, where he rode in a 1941 Packard automobile. The next day, a retired Air Force pilot named Jeff Nuccio took Hartshorn on a scenic tour above the city, allowing him to view his hometown from the clouds.

Born on June 14, 1923, Hartshorn flew 26 combat missions. William’s son, David, stated that whenever his father is in a room, the conversation quickly shifts to the topic of flying. That’s why his friends and family were certain that attacking him for a ride in the sky would be a wonderful way to celebrate the World War II veteran’s special birthday.

At the age of 21, Hartshorn was serving in the U.S. Army’s Eighth Air Force (56th Fighter Group) and piloting a P-47 fighter plane. That’s when the Germans shot him down during a battle in Belgium. Fortunately, William managed to guide the plane to a safe area and parachute out, sustaining two broken bones in his leg. He was then sent back to the U.S. and spent over a year receiving medical care.

Hartshorn claims it had been many years since his last flight, but his recent journey in a Beech Bonanza single-engine airplane from Cleveland (Tennessee) Regional Jetport went off without a hitch. He said there was nothing to fear and had been in the air for roughly an hour, enjoying the scenery. He remarked that it was the perfect spot, the weather was ideal, and Chickamauga Lake was stunning. It was a truly remarkable experience — one hundred years in the making.