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World War II veteran celebrates 101st birthday
Carla Bayron reports.
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The remaining survivor of the U.S. Navy's U.S.S. Yorktown during World War II is celebrating his 101st Birthday this weekend.
The backstory:
Robert E. Taylor, or ‘Honey Pop’ as his family affectionately calls him, was born on August 31, 1924, in Jacksonville, but moved to Auburndale for retirement. That makes him 101 years old this Sunday.
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"I never dreamed I'd reach this age," he said.
At 17 years old, all he dreamed about was joining the Navy and seeing the world.
"Well, I got into the Navy and I saw the world — through a porthole."
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His view of the world changed dramatically while in basic training. That's when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He volunteered for active combat duty on the U.S.S. Yorktown. He was in the Battle of Midway — the greatest naval battle of all time.
"I was on an anti-aircraft gun. Our ship was sunk, and I had to swim for my life," said Taylor. "I made it, but a few of my other buddies were killed."
Dig deeper:
After the war, his battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) continued while at home.
"Dad had to leave his buddy there dying on deck, so that's haunted him to this day," said Taylor's son, Mark Taylor.
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He became a Christian and relied on his faith to get him through the tough times. He married Shirley Taylor at age 24, and they celebrated 75 happy years together.
What they're saying:
His family will be celebrating his birthday this weekend with an American Legion drive-by. They said it's important to cherish the veterans we have left.
"Once they're gone, their stories are gone and history's gone," said Joi Taylor, Robert's daughter-in-law. "There's a lot of history they have inside of them that our kids these days have no idea what it cost for them to have the freedom that they have."
"He's going strong, and we're just blessed to have him in our life, our children's and grandchildren's life," said Mark.
Taylor said he can't wish for much on his birthday, so he'd just like a simple handshake.
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Such a big milestone comes with a lot of attention, but Taylor remains humble.
"I'm proud to be an American and did my part," he said. "I don't consider myself a hero. The heroes are all dead, but I loved serving my country, and it has been a pleasure."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Carla Bayron.