WRITTEN BY JODI HERSEY
When someone is about to turn 103 years old, it can be challenging to find the perfect birthday present. However, when word got on social media that former WWII Navy Lieutenant Pilot Ed Hendrickson of Brewer was about to hit that milestone birthday, family, friends, and even strangers alike decided to shower him with birthday cards. All told, Hendrickson received close to 6,000 cards by mail in the weeks leading up to his Nov. 14 birthday.
“It’s really just the greatest thing in the world that’s happened to me,” Hendrickson said.
One of those cards was from my 11-year-old twins Don and Frankie Veneziano of Hermon. Hendrickson first met the boys at the Bangor-Brewer Fourth of July parade last year. The boys proudly carried the WWII banner in that parade while Hendrickson was pushed in a wheelchair close behind them donning a bright tie-dye colored shirt and his WWII veteran hat.
The trio enjoyed each other’s company along the parade route so much that Hendrickson invited us to his apartment so he could take us down memory lane through black and white photos from his time spent in the Pacific.
Hendrickson, who flew a Curtis SB2C Helldiver in WWII, served four years in the Navy. And the boys, who both love history, barely got through his apartment door before they bombarded him with questions about the planes he flew or if he, himself, had ever been shot at, and more.
“I remember the night a torpedo went underneath our ship. We all were told to go to our battle stations. We would have to take turns flying patrol looking for submarines,” Hendrickson told the twins.
“I spotted something way up in the air, a plane. And I thought there wasn’t supposed to be any planes in this area. At that time, there was always one dive bomber and one fighter that flew together. The fighter is there for protection and the dive bomber is there to look around and see if there are any other planes that shouldn’t be there. When the plane got in front of me, I could see the big red circle,” said Hendrickson as the boys leaned in closer to hear more. “So I went after the guy. I fired and I could see the plane I shot down, and I could see the parachute was covered in blood, so I know he was killed and I thought that’s too bad, someone is going to miss him.”
He shared pictures and other stories of happy times during his military service. “My mom sent me a chocolate cake with white frosting when I was in the Pacific. Do you know I have no idea how long it took to arrive, but it was still good,” he said to the boys. “Do you guys like cake?”
“Yes,” the boys said in unison.
During another visit at Hendrickson’s home, the trio’s conversation eventually circled back to food and how much all three of them enjoy pancakes.
“Well, we should get pancakes sometime,” Hendrickson said.
My sons both say they don’t know many others their age who have friends over 100. And Hendrickson is just as fond of the boys as they are of him.
When we had the opportunity to reunite at the Veterans Day Parade, the three of them jumped right back into friendly conversation like no time had passed since our last visit. When I was finally able to get a word in, I asked Hendrickson, “What’s it like being 103-years-old?” He simply looked up at me from his wheelchair and with laughter in his eyes he said, “It’s just like being 102, except for a year older.”
