World War II veteran from Freeport ready to celebrate 100th birthday
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Charles “Bud” Early said “never in a million years” did he think he’d live to see 100.
Early will celebrate that milestone birthday with his wife and six children on March 21.
“It’s just the aging process, I guess,” said Early, who spends the winter months in Florida with his wife, Alma, and the rest of the year in Freeport.
Early will be celebrating his birthday in Florida. He thinks spending his winters in the South, along with abstaining from smoking and drinking, contributed to his longevity.
In his 100 years, Early has seen a lot.
The soon-to-be centenarian served in Patton’s Third Army, 80th Infantry Division during World War II. He was assigned to the 905th Field Artillery Battalion Battery C, according to his son, Roger Early.
“He had a lot of war stories,” said his oldest son, Charles “Chuck” Early.
Chuck Early said his father saw President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his basic training before boarding the Queen Mary to make the Atlantic Crossing on July 4, 1944. They landed on Utah and Omaha beaches about two months after D-Day and took part in the continued fighting there.
“He had a lot of close calls and harrowing experiences during the war,” Chuck Early said. “He was blown out of a foxhole one time by artillery. He wasn’t injured, but the shell landed so close it blew them out of their foxhole.”
Early moved through France before fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.
“He was an artillery spotter,” his oldest son said. “He and his officer, they’d get in a Jeep and go very deep into enemy lines and radio back to their artillery to show them where to fire.”
Early’s service earned him several awards, including the Bronze Star.
He was discharged in September 1945 and traveled home aboard the U.S.S. Breckinridge — which was fitting, Early said, because he lived in Brackenridge at the time.
“It was really good, so it was,” Early said of his time in the military.
By the time he arrived home, his oldest son — whom he’d not yet met — was almost a year old. Chuck Early described his dad as a “loving father.”
In all, Early has six children and six stepchildren, along with many grandchildren — and one great-great-granddaughter.
His family is proud of their patriarch.
“It’s a sense of pride. He contributed a lot,” his son Chuck Early said. “That war he went through was something, as it was for so many people of that generation. When we get together, he’s fond of relating his war experiences. He’s never been shy about that. It gives you a sense of connection with the past. We take a lot of pride in him and who he is and what he did for all of us.”
After the war, Early enjoyed traveling. He visited the Nile, the Middle East and Australia, among other places, according to his son Roger Early.
He also enjoyed camping, gardening and flying a plane.
At nearly 100, Early remains active. He struggles with his sight and hearing, but he still plays bocce and mows four acres of grass on a riding mower, his wife said.
“I enjoy going out to eat dinner,” Early added. “I enjoy going out for little rides — my wife takes me out just about every day for a little ride in the car.”
A neighbor from Freeport is trying to collect 100 cards to help Early celebrate his 100th birthday. Alma Early said they’ve already received several.
“I think he enjoys the fuss,” Roger Early said. “But, then again, he’s kind of a reserved person, too.”