Local WWII vet marks 106th birthday
- Kent Casson
- 3 hours ago
- 1 min read
Turning 106 seems easy for Arthur “Art” Leach.
“I’ve been fortunate,” Leach said during a birthday open house held in his honor Friday at Evenglow in Pontiac.
The World War II veteran and fighter pilot was born in Illinois back in 1920 where the family grew up on a farm. Pearl Harbor was attacked while he was studying business at Illinois Wesleyan University and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy upon graduation.
After bouncing around the U.S. learning how to fly and land on aircraft carriers, he boarded the USS Yorktown and sailed to the Pacific, fighting in many battles including Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Marshall Islands.
He then returned to the U.S. continuing his service in the Naval Reserve until 1961.
“I never complained,” Leach recalled. “The only thing I need to complain about now is that my tooth glue is giving away.”
Leach remembers traveling to Hong Kong and Vietnam among other places.
David Herkert, Evenglow Senior Living director of marketing and development, says you would never know Leach is 106.
“My understanding is that he got up this morning and celebrated his day like any other day and we are here with a bunch of cake and ice cream along with friends and family.”
Friday’s birthday celebration was held in the Evenglow multi-purpose room used for different functions such as musical events, church services and movie showings.
