Showing posts with label WWII veteran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWII veteran. Show all posts

Sunday, June 5, 2022

WWII veteran is wishing for 100 cards on his 100th birthday

Harold Myers of Mansfield, Ohio, is about to turn 100 — and his grandson had a fun idea

A World War II veteran from Ohio who is about to turn 100 years old has a unique wish. 

He's hoping to receive 100 cards for his 100th birthday.

Harold Myers, a resident of Mansfield, Ohio, is wishing for the birthday cards in time for his actual 100th birthday, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

One of his grandchildren, Dan Smith — who noticed Myers had a deep appreciation for birthday cards — suggested this fun birthday wish to him. 

"The idea came to me a couple of years ago," Smith told Fox News Digital. 

Dan Smith (left) and his grandfather Harold Myers (right) are asking fellow Americans to send birthday cards to the World War II veteran in time for his 100th birthday.

Dan Smith (left) and his grandfather Harold Myers (right) are asking fellow Americans to send birthday cards to the World War II veteran in time for his 100th birthday. (Photo courtesy Dan and Kayla Smith)

"He got a lot of joy about his cards for his 98th birthday from friends and family," Smith said.

Seeing his grandfather’s face light up whenever he read a card made Smith think of how "fun it would be" to collect cards from fellow Americans and citizens of the world.

"My grandfather is a people person and never met a stranger," Smith said.

"I knew that if this worked, it would be one of the best gifts I could give him for his birthday … [He has] sacrificed so much for his family."

The Myers and Smith families are also putting together a birthday party for the retired salesman in early June. 

About 150 guests have RSVP’d already for the event.

Myers happens to be celebrating another milestone as well — with his wife Margaret. 

The pair reached their 72nd wedding anniversary on Saturday, May 28.

Harold and Margaret Myers recently celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary in Mansfield, Ohio.

Harold and Margaret Myers recently celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary in Mansfield, Ohio. (Photo courtesy Dan and Kayla Smith)

They met in 1947 shortly after he returned from his military service. There were married in 1950.  

He graduated from Lexington High School and went on to serve in World War II, where he enlisted in the U.S. Army. 

Myers worked as a quartermaster — a soldier who supervises and distributes supplies within stores or barracks. 

He spent 11 months in England and 17 months in France.

During his service, Myers worked as a quartermaster — a soldier who supervises and distributes supplies within stores or barracks.

He rose to the rank of staff sergeant, a noncommissioned officer role with command responsibilities.

When Myers returned to civilian life, he dedicated 32 years of his working life to Mansfield Tire and Rubber, a local manufacturer; 11 years to G&L Supply, a local cleaning supply company; and 22 years to Interstate Optical, a local glasses wholesaler and lab. 

He retired from the workforce at the age of 90.

Myers and his wife welcomed three children, John, Dan and Ellen. They are the grandparents of four children and great-grandparents of one, so far.

For anyone wishing to help Harold Myers celebrate a very happy 100th birthday — after all, it's not every day that a person turns 100! — cards can be sent to his post office box at this address: P.O. Box 310, Ontario, OH 44862. 
 
Full Article & Source:

Thursday, December 19, 2019

92-year-old World War II veteran from California scammed out of life savings


FRESNO, Calif. -- A California World War II veteran is struggling after an acquaintance scammed him into making a loan he hasn't paid back.

Floyd Smith keeps a stack of paperwork to remind him of the scam.

"I'm 92 and I don't remember stuff like I used to," he says.

Smith served in the Navy as World War II came to a close.

"I went to Nagasaki and Hiroshima and Tokyo and all those places and where the bombs dropped. You could still see their shadow etched in the concrete."

Even as the fog of war melted away, Smith got along with nearly everyone he met.

70 years later, around the time he went on one of the first Central Valley Honor flights and shortly after he lost his wife, Smith crossed paths with Mark Gleizer, who helped him get new windows for his home.

"So I thought he's a nice guy, you know?" says Smith.

But the relationship went sour by 2016.

"He said he's in real financial trouble and he needs $10,000," says Smith. "The money that I loaned him was money I set aside for my retirement. And we planned to do a little traveling."

Smith hasn't been able to take a honeymoon with his new wife, but Gleizer seems to be traveling. Posts by him on social media show him in London, possibly making trips on the money loaned to him, Smith says.

"I feel like he just really took unfair advantage of me."

Smith got a judgment against Gleizer in small claims court but hasn't gotten any money from him.

Police in Sanger have arrested Gleizer as recently as October 2019 for drug possession, but they didn't take him to jail and he disappeared afterwards, skipping a scheduled November court appearance.

Private detective Rocky Pipkin is trying to track him down now and a GoFundMe page could help him recover some of the money, but not his trust for his fellow man.

Full Article & Source:
92-year-old World War II veteran from California scammed out of life savings