WWII veteran honored at special celebration in Chicago

CHICAGO - It’s a sad truth that every day in America we lose another man or woman who belonged to the so-called "greatest generation."

According to the National WWII Museum, there are just over 6,000 World War II veterans still alive in Illinois. On Friday, one of the oldest was honored at Jesse Brown VA Hospital as John L. Jones celebrated his 104th birthday.

Born in 1919, the Army veteran proved understandably forgetful during the celebration when asked how many candles should be on his cake, but there was no question as to who gets the credit for his longevity.

"God!" he told the crowd emphatically.

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The hospital Chief of Staff served as party host, honoring Jones with the appropriate centenarian swag, including but not limited to a signed letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

"We appreciate your service. We're proud that you're one of our patients. Our staff were excited to throw you a birthday party. Because like I said, we don't get to do this too often. When we have the chance, we want to do it," noted Dr. Sarah Unterman.

For his part, Jones seemed overwhelmed by the outpouring of adoration. He repeatedly gave credit to the Almighty for his good fortune before those in attendance honored him with a raucous rendition of happy birthday.

If you know someone here in Illinois who served in World War II and wish to ensure that their contributions are not forgotten, you are encouraged to visit the Illinois Veterans’ History Project.