12 Apr 2021
Burnie Sutter and his family were all smiles on Saturday as they watched a parade of about 100 cars help celebrate his 100th birthday.
The veteran, who wore his military medallions, waved as neighbors drove past, honking and cheering outside the Saddle Brook Memory Care Community assisted living facility in Frisco, Texas, according to the
Dallas Morning News.
“It was an extremely emotional day,” said his daughter, Sandra Richards. “This week has been because it’s such an outpouring of all these people who we don’t know, don’t know my dad, don’t know us, and they’ve just been awesome.”
Happy birthday! WWII veteran from Kentucky celebrating 100th birthday this weekend Share Updated: 6:34 AM EDT Apr 11, 2021 WLKY Digital Team Share Updated: 6:34 AM EDT Apr 11, 2021 WLKY Digital Team A World War II Army veteran from Bardstown is having a big day this weekend.James Greathouse is turning 100 Saturday and Honor Flight Bluegrass took to social media to wish the veteran a happy birthday, and get other people to do the same.Greathouse first enlisted in the Army on July 20, 1942, and served in the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations during WWII. He earned the American Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, the WWII Victory Medal and a Bronze Star.He also re-enlisted in 1946.Once Greathouse was done with his service, he worked and then retired from L&N Railroad, according to Honor Flight Bluegrass.Greathouse is a prince hall mason at St. Thomas Lodge and the oldest living member of his church, Canaan
PAUL HAMBY
U.S. Army veteran Thomas Rockroads Jr. talks about his experiences in Vietnam from the perspective of a Northern Cheyenne tribal member.
Laura Rockroads was in bed at her Busby home in 1970 when she heard a knock at the door. The mother of three answered each knock with âenterâ in Northern Cheyenne. The door opened; a face she hadn t seen in a year peered in. It was her son.
Thomas Rockroads Jr., now 72, returned home from combat in Vietnam before he was even legally allowed to vote. In spite of her rheumatoid arthritis, Laura sprang from the couch and yelled. The two had last seen each other in Billings, as Thomas boarded a 747 to begin his deployment. They had parted then with a Northern Cheyenne song that, 52 years later, the Bronze Star recipient still sings.
PAUL HAMBY
The recently-appointed Veterans Affairs secretary visited Billings on Monday to attend a closed-door discussion with local veterans, heads of veteransâ advocacy groups and VA officials.
Secretary Denis McDonough, on invitation from Sen. Jon Tester, met with about 20 people at Montana State University Billings. He said the visit to the state is part of the VA and Biden administration s prioritizing rural health care for vets, who nationwide have shown a renewed interest in the department since the outbreak of COVID-19.
âWe think that the moment weâre in now, where weâre seeing a surge of interest in care at the VA to get vaccinations for COVIDâ¦, we think thatâs an opportunity for us to ask, to seek, other vets to come back into our system,â McDonough said after the round table talk.