World War II veteran Benjamin Berry celebrates 100th birthday
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- World War II veteran Benjamin Berry will celebrate his 100th birthday on Thursday, a milestone only a few get to observe.
"Gas was 13 cents a gallon," Berry said.
That was the first of many wow moments after CBS News Philadelphia met with Berry.
"When there was a fair or dances or anything like that, I would take the fellows to it and I would charge them 10 cents to take them up and back," Berry said.
Before stepping foot inside his senior living apartment in Germantown, on display in the hallway is a photograph of his World War II brothers and a map of the Battle of the Bulge.
"When I joined the veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, there were 33 members," Berry said. "Today, there are only two. Myself and another fellow, Jake Rizzo. He's 98 at the present time."
Just a couple of years younger than Berry, who was born in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
"Sept. 21, 1923," Berry said.
On Thursday, Berry will celebrate his 100th birthday.
"Well, it really hasn't sunk in yet," he said.
Until he begins to reflect on the last century.
Soon after his high school graduation picture was taken at Abington High School, Berry was drafted into the U.S. Army at 19.
"Uncle Sam sent me a notice in January of 1943," Berry said. "The notice said, 'Greetings, you are now inducted into the United States Army, Uncle Sam needs you."
After basic training, Berry was assigned to the segregated unit Quartermaster Corps, a group that transported supplies for the Army and was commanded by White officers.
"We had rifles, but we never had any ammunition," Berry said.
In 1944, almost all Black GIs were assigned to the service units. Then, the call came for Berry's unit to join the frontlines in the Battle of the Bulge.
"We didn't volunteer. We, so to speak, had to go," Berry said. "They put us on the frontline to have some resistance to try to slow the enemy Germany down. And it worked."
Berry was one of more than 2,500 Black soldiers who fought alongside White soldiers during Hitler's last major offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II.
Looking back 100 years, some of his best memories were after the war.
"She said she would wait for me. She did," Berry said. "We got married at the Justice of the Peace. We ran off."
Berry and his late wife, Lois, were married for more than 50 years and they have four children.
On this milestone of a birthday, he only has one wish.
"I'm wishing to see you guys here taping me for my 101st," Berry said.
Berry is having two parties. The first a pizza party with his neighbors and the second on Sunday at the Germantown Cricket Club.
