For most of Walter Jones’ life, the number 105 has been meaningful.
When he was 28 years old, he went overseas to fight in World War II with the 105th outfit of the U.S. Marines. He lost a lot of his hearing when a shell exploded close to him on Guadalcanal, an island in the South Pacific where fighting in 1942 marked a turning point in World War II in favor of the Allied forces. And on June 22, the number 105 took on a new meaning. Friends and members of his church — First Baptist Church, Mount Olive — celebrated his 105th birthday with a parade at the retirement home where he lives.
Jones grew up in Cordova, and his mother took him to church regularly, but her faith didn’t become his until his 20s before he went to war. He’s been an active member at First, Mount Olive, for decades now, serving as an usher and in other roles.
‘A good one’
The church “is a good one. It’s hard to beat,” he said. “There’s some nice people there.”
After serving overseas, Jones had a long career at the post office, and he and his wife, Eva, had a daughter, Charlotte. These days, he and his friend Billy Stewart — a fellow member of First, Mount Olive — go for drives to nearby cities, including back to his old home in Cordova.
Long life
When asked how he made it to 105, Jones jokes, “I got lucky, I guess.”
Around 100,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive.
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