VILLAGE OF MINOA – Local World War II veteran Matt Rybinski was honored for his service and congratulated on reaching 100 years of age this past weekend with a celebration orchestrated by Honor Flight Syracuse.
The afternoon began with a drive-by salute in front of Rybinski’s home that featured a caravan of vehicles escorted by the Minoa Fire Department and the Manlius Police Department.
A birthday party then took place inside the St. Mary’s Parish Center on North Main Street in Minoa. There the Sentimental Serenade singers performed “On a Wonderful Day Like Today” and “God Bless America,” and bagpiper Jack Heins led the attendees in a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.”
During the Feb. 5 celebration, Rybinski was also presented with a birthday card and balloons from Honor Flight, a patriotic quilt made by the Thread Bears Quilters’ Guild, a flag that flew over the United States Capitol, and a certificate from Rep. Brandon Williams’ office.
“I never expected anything like this,” Rybinski said. “I thought it was gonna start out as a small birthday party.”
The Minoa resident served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a petty officer third class. He sailed on the USS Minneapolis and fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Rybinski was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal. To this day, he flies an American flag in his front yard in memory of fellow seamen who perished after a sister ship was hit by a kamikaze.
After his military service concluded, he entered the field of manufacturing engineering and was hired by Carrier as a process engineer.
Rybinski said he was surprised to reach the century mark.
“I didn’t believe it would ever happen,” he said. “When I came up in the service, I hoped I’d make 65. I was a farmboy, so I was tough to start with, and I kept it up pretty good.”
Rybinski has been married to his wife, Peg, for 75 years. The couple has five children, all of them college graduates to their delight.
He has kept in touch over the years with fellow servicemen, and he visits the Syracuse VA Medical Center to attend to health problems he experiences.
Rybinski was aboard Honor Flight’s 13th mission to Washington, D.C.