Joseph Eskenazi, made it safely to the National WII Museum in New Orleans after his two-day Amtrak trip from Los Angeles’ Union Station.
“It feels great,” Eskenazi told the Associated Press after posing for photos with his great-grandson, who will soon be 5, his 21-month-old great-granddaughter, and six other World War II veterans, all in their ’90s.
He was welcomed on Wednesday morning, June. 11, from flag-waving fans and appraisers who lined up outside the museum to wish him a happy 105th birthday. Eskenazi traveled to New Orleans as part of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Soaring Valor Program, which helps bring WII veterans from around the country to the National Museum.
During their stay at the museum, Eskenazi and eight other Southern California veterans will chronicle their memories of World War II with a foundation-sponsored historian.
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, holds a photo of his younger self at an event marking his upcoming 105th birthday at the National World War II Celebrates Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, is greeted as he arrives at the National World War II Museum to mark his upcoming 105th birthday to celebrate in New Orleans. Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, is greeted by staff as he arrives at the National World War II Museum to celebrate his upcoming 105th birthday to celebrate his birthday in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, center, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, sits with other Pearl Harbor veterans at an event marking his upcoming 105th birthday celebrating at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Left to right are Wallace Johnson, Gordon Wilson, Eskenazi, Billy Hall and Tony DiLisa. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, sits at an event with fellow veterans and his great-grandchildren Mathias, 4, and Audrey, 1 , which is celebrating his upcoming 105th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, holds a photo of his younger self at an event marking his upcoming 105th birthday at the National World War II Celebrates Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, sits with his great-grandson Mathias, 4, at an event marking his upcoming 105th birthday in the Celebrating National World War II museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, sits with other veterans, his great-grandchildren Mathias, 4, Audrey, 1, and their grandmother Belinda Mastrangelo together. at an event celebrating his upcoming 105th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Wallace Johnson, 97, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National Survived World War II Museum to New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, Johnson joined the Navy in September 1941 and served on the USS Jamestown, a motor torpedo boat tender that landed at Guadalcanal and Bougainville. He later worked with the original 7 astronauts on the Apollo space program. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Gordon Wilson, 99, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National WW II Museum to New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, Wilson served in the Pacific aboard USS Lexington “The Blue Ghost.” Gordon was just in front of the bridge when it was hit by a kamikaze. Just before the hit, he was pulled in by another sailor. He received a Purple Heart. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Bill Stewart, 93, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National WWII II Museum to New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, Stewart served in the occupation of Japan, is believed to be the youngest living veteran of World War II, and served as a boy scout aboard the USS Arizona. Her homeport was Long Beach . He is one of the last 3 living people to have been on the USS Arizona. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Harry Hammer, 94, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National Survived World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, Hammer served in the occupation of Japan and completed his “jump school” in Japan. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Billy Hall, 96, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National WW II Museum to New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, Hall enlisted in August 1941 at the age of 15 and flew over 150 Dauntless dive and Avenger torpedo bombing missions as a tail gunner in the Pacific over Guadalcanal, Peleliu and Munda. According to the museum, he is believed to be the last living veteran to enlist before World War II and fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
World War II veteran Tony DiLisa, 98, attends an event celebrating the upcoming 105th birthday of fellow veteran Joseph Eskenazi, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran who killed the attack on Pearl Harbor at the National Survived World War II Museum to New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. According to the museum, DiLisa served in England and was involved in the preparation and deployment of Operation Overlord and the reconquest of Europe. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Eskenazi, who will be 105 on January 30, was just 23 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Still, not a day goes by that he doesn’t wake up and think of the young Americans killed in the attack, Eskenazi said as he departed Union Station on Friday, Jan. 6.
“What bothered me the most is seeing these wonderful people go to another world without a chance to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s a moment of sadness that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
More than 2,403 Americans died in the attack, including 68 civilians.
Eskenazi was a private first class sleeping at Schofield Barracks on the morning of December 7, 1941. He was startled by the sound of the first bombs going off on the USS Arizona, which was about 18 miles inland from his barracks.
When its captain asked for a volunteer to help clear the airfield next to the port, Eskenazi’s hand was the first and only one to shoot up.
While bulldozing across the open field, he survived being fired upon by a deadly Japanese Zero fighter jet. The machine gun bullets kicked up dirt around Eskenazi but fortunately missed their target.
Eskenazi will tell this story among other war memoirs in the museum. These records are preserved in the museum’s oral history archives for generations to remember the bravery and sacrifice of men like Eskenazi.
World War II veteran Joseph Eskenazi, center, who at 104 years and 11 months is the oldest living veteran to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, sits with other Pearl Harbor veterans at an event marking his upcoming 105th birthday celebrating at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Left to right are Wallace Johnson, Gordon Wilson, Eskenazi, Billy Hall and Tony DiLisa. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In New Orleans on Wednesday, Eskenazi and his fellow veterans lined up for photos amid exhibits of World War II aircraft and Higgins boats designed for beach landings.
“Thank you guys for giving us a country to fight for,” cried veteran Billy Hall, who rose to the rank of major in the Marines after being drafted in 1941, to well-wishers.
The museum opened in 2000 as the National D-Day Museum and has since expanded in size and scope.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/01/11/local-pearl-harbor-vet-arrives-at-national-wwii-museum-in-time-for-105th-birthday-and-rousing-tribute/ Pearl Harbor’s local vet arrives at the National WWII Museum – Orange County Register in time for the 105th anniversary and rousing tribute
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