CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It was just a year ago when a World War II veteran from Corpus Christi celebrated his 100th birthday with friends and family.
Felix Longoria Jr. was born in Skidmore, Texas in 1921.
While in service to his nation, Longoria led one of the platoons on the beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
According to Longoria's son Richard, his father was injured during his service, but that didn't stop him from carrying out his duty to the very end.
"He was wounded in France in 1944 after D-Day, and his men dragged him to safety and they thought he had cashed it in, but he did not, he survived," Richard said. "He went to England and recovered in enough time to come back and do the Battle of the Bulge."
Over the years several of 3News reporters have had the privilege of sitting with Longoria to hear him share his stories. He would often tell of the bullets and shells whizzing past him and his men, but he couldn't let that stop him.
"I had to get over that and take all the men into the area where they were supposed to be," Longoria said.
Longoria joined the service in 1939 and didn't leave until after the war was over. Recalling in one interview about the long trip to the Normandy beach, he had a very practical attitude.
"You had to lead them, and there was nobody to help you do it," Longoria said. "Also, people started falling off and so you couldn't do too much about it."
During 3News' last interview with Longoria, he shared his secret to making it so far in life. He said it's been the love shared by the ones he's had around him that's inspired him and given him the will to live life to it's fullest.
"Enjoy yourself and enjoy your friends," Longoria said.
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