FRUIT COVE, Fla. — "I signed up when I was 17," said Harold James of Fruit Cove in St. Johns County, Florida.
James joined the Navy and still proudly wears his WWII veteran's hat.
He says he's proud "because I love my country more than anything in this world other than my wife and kids."
His sweetie, Nancy, is a young 90.
And Harold? "I'm 96 years old," he said with a zip.
The couple has been married 73 years. The ice cream cake at their family's celebration was a true crowd pleaser, especially for Nancy.
"She said it was the best thing she'd ever eaten," Harold said.
Nancy says Harold is always on the go. He has a workshop set up to build picture frames for Nancy's beautiful artwork.
Harold beams when talking about his wife, but his face turns somber when he looks back at 1945.
"I was 25 yards away from where the atom bomb exploded in Japan," he said. He was in Nagasaki just months after the bomb was dropped.
Harold pauses and shakes his head. "Why can't people live peaceful?" he said.
He pauses again, needing a tissue for the tears welling up in his eyes.
To Harold James, we say, thank you for your service and dedication to our country.
To his wife, Nancy, we say, thank you for standing by his side.
Oh, and we hope you get another yummy ice cream cake for Anniversary #74 next year!
