Wisconsin World War II veteran turns 100; party honors service
The Brief
A World War II veteran in Wisconsin turns 100 years old on Saturday.
Lemmer served two-and-a-half years in the South Pacific with the U.S. Marine Corps.
A party on Friday celebrated his birthday and recognized his sacrifice.
GREENFIELD, Wis. - A World War II veteran in Wisconsin turns 100 years old on Saturday, March 22. Both the VA and his senior living facility honored his service, sacrifice – and sense of humor.
What they're saying
At the front of the room, beneath a U.S. Marine Corps blanket, Mel Lemmer didn't just hold a tune, he held court as the headliner of his own party.
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"'If you know who I am, and you're not afraid of me, you must have a pretty good reason,'" Lemmer recounted, telling a joke about a man's meeting with the devil. "'Would you mind telling me what it is?' Little old man says, 'Sure.' He said, 'I don't see any reason of me being afraid of you.' He says, 'I've been married to your sister for 40 years.'"
Lemmer is a resident of Layton Terrace in Greenfield. A party on Friday celebrated his birthday and recognized his sacrifice.
"All I can say is I was one of the lucky ones," he said. "The heroes are still out there. They're the ones that paid the price for defending the country."
Between hugs from his former care team at the VA, like any good birthday party, it all came together with cake and candles.
The backstory
Just after high school, Lemmer joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served two-and-a-half years in the South Pacific with the Second Armored Amphibian Battalion.
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"As a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima, you are a part of this country's greatest generation," a letter from VA Secretary Doug Collins, thanking Lemmer for his service, read.
After the war, Lemmer owned a gas station and then a small grocery store. He last worked at a golf course. He is also a father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
FOX6 News asked Lemmer what was one of the biggest things that has changed over his 100 years. He recalled truckers going on strike when a gallon of gas cost nearly 30 cents per gallon.
The Source
FOX6 News attended Lemmer's birthday party for information featured in this report.
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