OCALA, FL (352today.com) – “I’m 101 years old plus 365 days.” That’s how Ocala’s Howard Mautner described reaching his latest milestone birthday.
Mautner, a World War II veteran, was the senior man of the 22 veterans that were on the trip on First Coast Honor Flight out of Jacksonville on April 25, with all of this originating out of Rep. Kat Cammack’s office, said Todd Belknap, Veterans Helping Veterans executive director. Mautner also had the distinction of being interviewed by a videographer in front of the World War II Memorial. A number of people came up to Mautner and talked with him, sharing with the U.S. Army Air Corps veteran that their fathers had served in World War II, making a powerful connection, one that was truly palpable.
“Howard said, ‘that this has been one of the best days of my life,’” said Belknap. “We visited the World War II Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, we were able to do that all-in-one day.”
The 102-year-old World War II veteran has reached celebrity status. Mautner had a special visitor, U.S. Rep Kat Cammack, who came just to see him, waiting patiently in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial with her 8-month-old daughter Augusta…