TOWN OF DEWITT – A local World War II veteran was recently surprised on his birthday with a centenarian salute organized by Honor Flight Syracuse.
Born the day after the United States’ second-ever observance of Veterans Day, 101-year-old Louis Iauco was smiling and waving from his wheelchair as a caravan of cars and DeWitt firefighting vehicles drove past honking their horns and sounding their sirens.
As the autocade proceeded down East Genesee Street and around that circular driveway of the Menorah Park of CNY nursing home, Jack Heins played “Scotland the Brave” on his trusty bagpipes.
Later, a group sang Iauco “On a Wonderful Day Like Today” from the musical “The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd.”
Apart from the birthday card, quilt and balloons he was handed, the 174th Attack Wing Honor Guard at one point presented Iauco with a flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol, and the Manlius VFW Post performed a four-rifle salute.
The Nov. 12 tribute also included a speech from his son, David, who thanked him for his service, for the example he set, and for “a life well-lived.”
Iauco enlisted in the Army the very same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor.
After finishing basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey, he served as a sergeant in the European theatre as part of the 69th Infantry, along the way fighting in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, where he was wounded. After recovering, he ran a food distribution center in France until the end of the Second World War.
Upon his return home, Iauco became a sales division manager and married his sweetheart from before the war. Together they eventually brought five children into the world, all of whom were in attendance at the Friday afternoon ceremony. One of the five lives in Syracuse, while the rest came in from Arizona, South Carolina, Indiana and Massachusetts.
“We thank Syracuse Honor Flight for recognizing his accomplishments and sacrifices for his country and for his family,” David said. “He taught me many valuable things about being a godly man, father, neighbor, friend and citizen of this country.”
Asked how it felt to be honored on that sunny day, the elder Iauco responded with one word: “proud.”
Since October 2012, Honor Flight Syracuse has transported over 900 Central New York veterans at no cost to Washington, D.C., to visit their war memorials and reflect. The Honor Flight Network presently focuses on WWII and Korean War veterans but also those from any conflict who are stricken with terminal illnesses.