World War II Veteran Celebrates 100th Birthday With First-Time Skydive
Charlie Montanaro celebrated his 100th birthday in an extreme manner many of us wouldn’t even dare. The World War II veteran decided to commemorate his milestone birthday by going skydiving.
Charlie Montanaro skydiving with Honor Flight Network Credit: Honor Flight Nevada
The former machinist and merchant marine travelled to Tucson, Arizona, where the Honor Flight Network set up the skydiving experience for Montanaro. Speaking to the RECORD COURIER, the Nevada resident said:
“I flew airplanes for years,”. “I guess I’ll try jumping out of one.”
Montanaro was born in Cleveland, raised mostly in Iowa and Illinois, and has spent the majority of his adult years in Nevada, moving back permanently in 2014.
After his high school graduation, Montanaro worked at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. before transferring to North Island in San Diego, where he was when the war broke out. He joined the merchant marines where he served on four different supply ships.
“I was always in the engine room,” he said. “Our main job was that we were the supply line. We kept the Navy in toilet paper. I went and fortunately I came back and that was it.”
After the war was over, Mr. Montanaro went back to civilian life, eventually retiring in 1989. He always wanted to learn how to fly, so he studied and received his private pilots license, which is still active today.
His love of flying fueled his interest in skydiving, and thanks to the help from the Honor Flight Network’s Nevada chapter, that dream was finally fulfilled, turning an already momentous occasion into an extraordinary event.
The Honor Flight Network is a nation-wide group of volunteers who cooperate to transport veterans to Washington D.C so they can visit the memorials of the wars they served in. The trips are completely paid for and provide opportunities for these veterans to connect with each other and share stories of their time in the service, while honoring the memories of those lost.
While not a trip to D.C., Honor Flight still wanted to help Mr. Montanaro celebrate his birthday in style. After landing from his jump, he beamed at a group of reporters who had gathered, flashed them a big smile and two thumbs up and said:
“I’m ready! Let’s do that again!”
When asked about his secret to making it to 100 he said:
“Nobody ever believes me, but I led a good clean life.”
Charlie Montanaro skydiving with Honor Flight Network Credit: Honor Flight Nevada
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