FORT WORTH — The crew of the USS Fort Worth gathered Monday to celebrate the milestone birthday of Elsie “Kitty” Rippin, a World War II veteran, who turned 101 years old Friday.
Workers from Meals on Wheels and crew members from the combat ship came together to mark Rippin’s birthday.
The Navy crew, typically based in San Diego, happened to be in town, providing the perfect opportunity to honor the centenarian’s life and service.
The small group of uniformed sailors from the USS Fort Worth stood shoulder to shoulder along with Meals and Wheels workers. They sang happy birthday as a chocolate cake stood in front of her.
“I didn’t think I was going to live this long,” she said after blowing out the candles.
Joining the military
Rippin was born Jan. 31, 1924, in Ellinger. In March 1944, Rippin enlisted in the U.S. Navy’s WAVES program — Women Accepted for Volunteer Service. The initiative was established in 1942, according to the Best Defense Foundation, to release men for sea duty and replace them with women who could staff onshore assignments.
Rippin worked at Naval Air Station Dallas in Bunker Hill, Indiana, and in Glenview, Ill., as an aviation machinist mate, performing flight instrument repair work.
Recalling those perilous days of the war, Rippin captivated the sailors with stories of her service, detailing her role in maintaining and cleaning airplane parts.
“I worked on airplane parts, cleaning them when the airplane was down. We had to take all the parts off and reuse them again. Lots of that was reusable. And I just, I didn’t know that was that important,” she said. “There was no TV or nothing like that, just radio. And I don’t think I was that patriot, but everybody was joining, and I wanted to join something. I wasn’t a man.”
Milestone birthday party
Despite her initial nerves on Monday, Rippin shared her favorite experiences with warmth and humor, reflecting on her life, her love for ballroom dancing, and a fondness for chocolate and Mexican food.
“I never drink alcohol, and I didn’t smoke,” she said.
She recalled the camaraderie and experiences of the war years.
“I liked to be with all the girls from different states that I didn’t know well,” she said. " ... I was naive and country, and when I told them I was from Texas, they all thought I had a ranch.”
The celebration was orchestrated by Meals on Wheels, an organization committed to delivering meals and providing support to elderly and homebound individuals, including Rippin.
In addition to the birthday cake, the group surprised Rippin with a new telephone with large numbers to accommodate a weakened vision.
“Oh, that’s what I need because I can’t see the numbers. Look at how big those numbers are. Oh, that’s my size!” she said excited.
Dana Canby, commanding officer of the USS Fort Worth, emphasized the significance of the event, highlighting the value of connecting sailors with veterans who have paved the way for future generations.
“Getting my sailors on board USS Fort Worth to get to dialogue with someone that is part of that legacy of service and getting to interact with any veteran just makes these guys stronger as sailors. It lets them see who they represent while we’re at sea out in San Diego.”
Raven Battles, a sailor from Arlington who joined the U.S. Navy last year, had never met someone with the kind of experiences that Rippin has.
“Today was really nice to see her perspective and hear her story,” Battles said. “How she said one of her favorite moments was being around other girls at the ship, and I can see how that is since there is only another woman and myself at the ship right now.”
To volunteer to deliver meals to seniors, register at Meals and Wheels website.
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