Janesville WWII veteran celebrates 100th birthday

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) - A Janesville veteran is celebrating his 100th birthday on Monday, September 18th.

“Well I don’t even know how I got there, that’s what it feels like,” Harry Menz said. “It came onto me so fast, I didn’t realize it.”

Menz is a World War II veteran. He served in the infantry for the U.S. Army and survived the Battle of the Bulge.

“It was kind of really crazy at times,” Menz said of his time in the war.

He is thankful he survived the war saying he’s lucky he came home. “No one had my number on their bullet.” he said.

Menz is originally from Antigo, Wisconsin but has lived in Janesville since 1943. He and his wife Phyllis had been married for 69 years before she passed away in 2014.

The couple had four daughters, one of whom passed away from cancer in 2014.

Today he has eight grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren!

His family threw a party at My Apartment Pub and Grill on Sunday in Janesville and Menz was definitely feeling the love.

“Man, I don’t know how many people were there, but I’d seen people I hadn’t seen for a long time,” he said. “Everyone was greeting me, smiling and hugging me. I’ve never been hugged and kissed by so many people in my life.”

Menz credits his longevity to leading an overall happy life. He advises others to do the same.

“Well, I always had the opinion that if you come in my front door, I want to see you smiling at me,” Menz said. “I don’t want to see you scowling. That’s the wrong move to get along with anybody.”

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