Help the Oldest Living WWII Vet Celebrate His 111th Birthday

Lawrence Brooks is our oldest living World War II veteran, and he turns 111 years old on Sept. 12.

For the past five years, the Louisiana native has been honored with a cake and big party at the National World War II museum in New Orleans.

This year's party has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the museum is asking Americans to send Mr. Brooks a birthday card.

Here's the address:

The National WWII Museum

c/o Happy 111th Mr. Brooks!

945 Magazine St.

New Orleans, LA 70130

We got this news a little late, so get those cards in the mail ASAP!

Brooks was born on Sept. 12, 1909, so he was already 32 years old when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He must've been the old guy in the unit when he served with the predominantly Black 91st Engineer Battalion, which was stationed in New Guinea and then the Philippines.

Pfc. Brooks was one of more than 1.2 million African Americans who served in the segregated United States military during World War II. Many of those soldiers came home and became leaders in the civil rights movement in the decades after the war.

Let's all stay hopeful that Mr. Brooks stays well and things can return to normal enough that everyone can gather again next fall for his 112th!

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