{"id":7632,"date":"2026-04-04T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7632"},"modified":"2026-04-04T20:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T20:30:00","slug":"honoring-a-century-wwii-veterans-100th-birthday-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7632","title":{"rendered":"Honoring a century: WWII Veteran\u2019s 100th birthday celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-04-04T20:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A special ceremony at Chattanooga VA clinic to recognize the life and service of a WWII Veteran<\/h2>\n<p>The Tennessee afternoon sun, hazy and golden, began to cast shadows across the polished floors of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/tennessee-valley-health-care\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chattanooga VA Clinic<\/a> lobby in the late morning. A slight sense of hushed anticipation hung in the air, offering a peaceful contrast to the usual hum of activity. A small gathering of <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/?s=VA+Tennessee+Valley+Healthcare+System+\">VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System<\/a> (VATVHCS) employees had assembled in the lobby for a special celebration.<\/p>\n<p>Their guest of honor, though unaware of the occasion, had already arrived. Everett Plante, a World War II Veteran whose presence embodied resilience and history, was seated patiently in a row of chairs, his hands folded calmly in his lap. He had been asked to arrive a little early for his medical appointment, which he readily obliged. As a group of employees approached him, led by Volunteer Specialist Joshua Green and Clinic Manager Deidra Campbell, a collective smile spread across Plante\u2019s face. Green had requested a centenarian letter and coin from the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be presented to Plante in recognition of his 100th birthday.<\/p>\n<p>As Campbell read the heartfelt letter, it acknowledged Plante\u2019s century of life and service to the nation, speaking of sacrifice, valor and the enduring legacy of his generation. When Plante accepted the coin and letter, a deep sense of gratitude softened his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Holding the new treasures in his hands, a gentle sigh escaped him. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect anything from VA,\u201d he admitted. \u201cBut I can\u2019t forget what they did for me. I could almost cry, but I won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Words from the wise<\/h2>\n<p>Someone from the crowd asked, \u201cWhat advice do you have that keeps you going?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Plante looked out at the faces surrounding him. \u201cI wish that everybody could live longer and be honest with each other,\u201d he replied. \u201cBeing honest with each other is the most important thing.\u201d His words resonated deeply, a simple truth conveyed with the wisdom of a century.<\/p>\n<p>Plante\u2019s gaze drifted, perhaps recalling memories of his younger days, filled with strength and independence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s no joke,\u201d Plante continued. \u201cYou can\u2019t do the things you used to do. It\u2019s crazy right now, but time passes, and you find yourself in a position where you can\u2019t do things for yourself, and that is very unfortunate.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The lobby fell silent, punctuated by faint whispers of \u201cThank you for your service, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Celebrating legacies<\/h2>\n<p>With his 101st birthday coming in April 2026, Plante still drives himself to his appointments and takes pride in maintaining that ability.<\/p>\n<p>After escorting Plante to his car, Green described his many opportunities to meet Veterans and submitted them for special recognition, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMeeting and spending time with a 100-year-old World War II Veteran is an amazing experience,\u201d Green shared. \u201cTo have met multiple centenarian Veterans over the last year and be part of the awards program gives me a glimpse into a remarkable time in American history. Honoring their service with these awards, I hope it helps us all appreciate the freedom and peace they fought for. Celebrating their long lives and legacy ensures we never forget their sacrifices.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/145980\/honoring-century-wwii-veteran-100th-birthday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Chattanooga VA Clinic lobby was filled with anticipation as employees gathered to honor WWII Veteran Everett Plante&#8217;s 100th birthday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-veteran-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Honoring a century: WWII Veteran\u2019s 100th birthday celebration - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Chattanooga VA Clinic lobby was filled with anticipation as employees gathered to honor WWII Veteran Everett Plante&#039;s 100th birthday.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7632\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Honoring a century: WWII Veteran\u2019s 100th birthday celebration - 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