Brookyn Center WWII Vet Gets Fire Truck Procession for 101st Birthday
For Don Halverson of Brooklyn Center, this Saturday marks a milestone birthday.
The World War II veteran turns 101 years old.
“It feels good,” Halverson told CCX News on Friday, Feb. 23.
When asked he feels lucky to live to such an old age, Halverson responded “hell yes … I’m glad I’ve lived this long. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Halverson attributed his long lifespan to his wife.
“I met a woman that didn’t smoke and I quit in ’46 when I met her, and I haven’t smoked since,” he said. “[I] have a whiskey and water once in a while as preservative.”
World War II veteran Don Halverson talks with CCX News a day before his 101st birthday.
A Brooklyn Center Man’s World War II Service
Halverson saw combat in Italy as the Allies drove the Nazis north.
“[I] landed in Italy in ’43,” Halverson said. “I left the states on the 13th of September in ’43 and landed in Italy on the 13th of October in ’44. And I figure 13 must be a lucky number too. They kept missing me.”
With the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, he fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino, where the Allies took heavy casualties on the way to Rome.
“I ended up with some killed, a lot of wounded,” Halverson said. “Lucky we had the two medics that didn’t get hit. But they had to grab some of the guys to put on blankets … I only had five guys left out of 40.”
Halverson came back to Minnesota after the war. He moved into his Brooklyn Center home in 1959.
“I picked the lot and I picked the house,” he said. “When I first moved in there was all us world war vets here. They’re all gone now. I’m the only one left out of the two blocks here.”
Celebrating His Birthday
A group of his family, friends and fellow soldiers came to his home on Friday for an early birthday celebration.
They waited outside as the Brooklyn Center police and fire departments drove by their sirens and lights blazing.
The drivers shook Halverson’s hand as he gave them bags of caramel corn to take back to the station.
For a man who has had many honors — from raising the flag at Twins games to book signings and Honor Flights — the experience was a first for Halverson.
“It’s been a good day,” he said. “First time I had something like this.”
See also: Brooklyn Center Honors World War II Vet
