Michigan WWII Veteran Celebrates 100th Birthday

Get the tissues out, because the video will have you bumbling like a baby.

This is a great reminder about a disappearing, aging generation - WWII veterans. Both AJ and my grandfather fought in WWII, and they've both been gone from this earth for decades. The fact is, this generation is aging and disappearing, so we need to appreciate them while they're here. We need to listen to their stories before they can no longer tell them.

Grand Rapids resident Virgil Westdale celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, and he's got a lot to celebrate. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the French Legion of Honor Medal as well as owning 25 patents; he's self-published an autobiography and has also worked for NASA.

He gathered with friends and family at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum's DeVos Learning Center for a celebration, where he danced with his granddaughter. Also in attendance was a retired Army dentist who, along with his father, was liberated from a concentration camp by Westdale and American 7th Corps troops 72 years ago.

Happy Birthday, Virgil! Thank you for your service!