WW II Veteran honored, celebrates 100 years of life
LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A member of the “Greatest Generation” who recently turned 100 years old was honored.
Friends and family crowded the Fellowship Hall at Tupelo’s Apostolic Life Church to celebrate the 100th birthday of Odis Brown. The Corinth native enlisted in the Marines as a teenager, getting his sister to sign for him, because he wasn’t quite of age.
Brown served in the Pacific Theater at the Battle of Okinawa, where he was injured.
Nearly fifty years, all of Brown’s military records, along with many medals and other awards were lost in a house fire.
During his birthday celebration, it was announced the U S military is replacing all of Staff Sergeant Brown’s medals and awards.
Members of the local Marine Corps League say it is important to remember the sacrifices made by so many.
“It means whoever follows after The Greatest Generation have some big shoes to fill, we don’t need to sit down, we need to do our part now as citizens since we are no longer soldiers. ” said Brown.
Staff Sergeant Brown is the last living World War Two veteran who is a member of the Andrew Lawhon Detachment of the Marine Corps league.
