CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) — One man in Virginia celebrated his 100th birthday over the weekend.
He's one of the surviving veterans of WWII, and says he intends to stick around quite a bit longer.
"It feels pretty good. I'm looking for the next hundred," said James Flinchum.
Flinchum celebrated his 100th birthday Sunday afternoon with family, friends and loved ones at his assisted living home in Christiansburg. He says he was honored to have his closest people with him on his special day.
"I'm real proud of them, all of them. Proud of them," said James Flinchum.
Flinchum served as an aviation engineer for two years during WWII. His proud son, Jim Flinchum, also served in the military. He says like any veteran, his father does not like to talk about his experiences in the war.
"The P-51s would land and very often they were shot up already and leaking fuel. Many of them caught fire, and he always got the pilots out. And the pilots sometimes were on fire too, and he'd pull them out, spray them down. He was quite heroic in all that," said Jim Flinchum.
After two years in his platoon, he was then stationed in England and traveled across Europe after D-Day.
Jim Flinchum shares what his father says is the secret to a long life.
"No smoking, no drinking. I think I've heard that before," said Jim Flinchum.
Jim says it's an honor to be able to tell his father happy 100th birthday.
"How many people do you know can say, 'Happy 100th birthday, Dad'? You know anybody that can say that?" said Jim Flinchum.
Flinchum spent the rest of the afternoon receiving gifts and eating cake with his guests at the party of the century.
