Local WWII hero turns 107

Video Credit: WKBW Buffalo
Published on September 1, 2021 - Duration: 02:16s
Local WWII hero turns 107

Local WWII hero turns 107

WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN.

TODAY -HE TURNED 107- YEARS-OLD....AND AFTER A YEAR OFF BECAUSEOF THE PANDEMIC... FAMILY ANDFRIENDS WERE ONCE AGAIN ABLETO PARTY... WITH CAPTAIN COLE.HERE'S 7 EYEWITNESS NEREPORTER LILIA WOOD.(*NATS OF HAPPYBIRTHDA*) RICHARD: "HE'S ACELEBRITY HERE!" ONE OF THECOUNTRY'S OLDEST WORLD WAR IIVETERANS IS CELEBRATING HIS107TH BIRTHDAY& RICHARD:"HOW'D YOU GET TO 107?"SYDNEY: "I HAVE NO IDEA!" AND&HE LIVES RIGHT HERE IN WESTERNNEW YORK.

RICHARD COLEKNOWN AS "CAPTAIN COLE"PILOT AND CAPTAIN FOR THE U-SARMY AIR CORPS DURING WORLDWAR II.

HIS SON, RICHARD COLE,TELLS ME HIS WAR STORIES AREPART OF THE NATION'S HISTORY.RICHARD: "I TELL THIS STORYEVER TIME I GO OUT TO DINNER.I NEVER GET TIRED OF TELLINGHIS STORY." IN 1945MILITARY PLANE WAS SHOTDOWN&.AND HE RISKED HIS LIFEJUMPING FROM THE DAMAGED PLANETO SAVE HIS CO-POLIT.

RICHARD:"THE OTHER PILOT LANDED ON THEAMERICAN SIDE.

HE LANDED ONTHE ENEMY'S SIDE AND THAT'SHOW HE BECAME A POW SAVINGTHAT MAN'S LIFE." HE WAS INONE OF HITLER'S CAMP FOR AYEAR.

RICHARD: "HE DIDN'T KNOWIF THEY WERE COMING IN TO FEEDHIM OR BEAT HIM.

MY DAD WENTINTO POW CAMP HAS 150 POUNDSAND CAME OUT AT 80 POUNDS."EVERYONE AT THE PARTYDESCRIBED CAPTAIN COLE AS A"NATIONAL TREASURE." YOU COULDSIT WITH HIM FOR DAYSNEVER HEAR THE SAME STORYTWICE.

RICHARD: "WELL& HEACTUALLY QUALIFIED FOR THEBERLIN OLYMPICS!

HE WAS ASWIMMER&" STAND-UP: "CAPTAINCOLE TELLS ME HIS SECRET TOLONGEVITY IS TO LIVE BY THEMOTTO "HEALTH IS WEALTH." HETELLS ME HE WON'T EVEN EAT ACUPCAKE TODAY, BUT HE WOULDHAVE A SWEET IF IT'S APPLEPIE." KIM: "DO YOU KNOW WHATHE WANTS EVERY YEAR?

AN APPLEPIE!" RICHARD: "HE KEEPSTELLING THE NURSES HERE 'GETME OUT OF THIS WHEELCHAIR!

IWANT TO WALK.

I WANT TO WALK!HE SAYS 'THE BODY IS MADE TOMOVE!'" SYDNEY: "I FEEL GOOD!I FEEL GOOD ALL THE TIME!"CAPTAIN COLE DANCED THEAFTERNOON AWAY-- AND SAYS HE'SALREADY READY TO BE 108.

"SAMETIME!

SAME PLACE!" RICHARD:"HE'S GOT TO GET TO 122&THEOLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLDWE'VE GOT WAYS TO GO, BUT ITWILL BE FUN GOING THERE!" INBATAVIA, LILIA WOOD,EYEWITNESS NEWS.A YOUNG BUFFALO BILLS

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