MORRISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – World War II Veteran and Green Bay native Herman Van Beckum turns 100 years old September 5th, 2022.
He has four kids, nine grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.
Herman Van Beckum has a lot to celebrate, surrounded by five generations of his family, he blew out the candles on his cake and reminisced about his 100 years of life.
Van Beckum was drafted into the Army at age 20, serving in World War II from 1942 to 1945.
“The day came, I didn’t enlist, Uncle Sam told me,” says Van Beckum.
Van Beckum trained in the U.S. then served in the Philippines as well as Japan.
His role was helping to stabilize injured soldiers and safely get them on waiting planes to transport them to hospitals.
“They would bring the patients from the holding tent to the airplane that was landed on one of the highways there and we would put the patients into that plane and they would take off,” says Van Beckum.
When Van Beckum returned to Green Bay from the service he became a carpenter.
He built his own house that he lived in until he was 99 years old for a total of 72 years.
“Pounded a lot of nails,” says Van Beckum.
He also served as a manager at the St. Mary’s roller rink for 10 years.
His daughter Mary Kempen describes her father as a hard worker.
“He’s just an amazing example of service and love in many ways…He worked in the service and it was for years he wouldn’t talk about his service work because he was just doing his job and didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” says Kempen.
Van Beckum says he wouldn’t be where he is today without his family.
“They’re one hell of a bunch of nice people,” says Van Beckum.
Van Beckum offered words of advice for the younger generations hoping to live as long as he has.
“Behave yourself, enjoy your parents, and don’t do any foolish things…I’m fortunate, how and why the good lord let me get this old, I can’t answer that,” says Van Beckum.
Herman was also given a special blessing at St. Mary’s for being the oldest living parishioner.
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