On July 3 Dunkin’ held a special birthday party for North Syracuse resident John Shott, a World War II Army Air Corp veteran and former prisoner of war who attributed his ability to survive captivity, in part, to his passion for donuts.
The celebration for Shott, who turned 101 on July 4, was held at the Dunkin’ restaurant at 3493 Erie Blvd. East in DeWitt.
During World War II, Shott served as a radioman and tail gunner on a Mitchell bomber.
While on a mission flying over Formosa (now Taiwan), his plane was shot down.
Shott was the only survivor.
He hid in the jungle for three days until his hunger became unbearable and he stumbled upon a cabbage patch. He was captured while eating for the first time since crash-landing, according to Joe Messineo, a volunteer oral historian at the Veterans History Project.
When Messineo asked Shott how he survived the physical and mental ordeal of captivity, Shott’s answer was brief: “I thought about home, my mom’s cooking and sitting down to eat powdered jelly donuts and a cold glass of milk.”
In honor of Shott’s 101st birthday and his remarkable service, Dunkin’ franchisee Tom Santurri and his team welcomed Shott to the Dunkin’ restaurant at 3493 Erie Blvd. East in Dewitt for a birthday party included a variety of Dunkin’ treats, including powdered jelly donuts and milk.
“John Shott is a true American hero,” said Santurri. “We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate his birthday with him and provide him with the jelly donuts he loves so much.”