OCALA, FL (352today.com) – “I’m 101 years old plus 365 days.” That’s how Ocala’s Howard Mautner described reaching his latest milestone birthday.
Mautner, a World War II veteran, was the senior man of the 22 veterans that were on the trip on First Coast Honor Flight out of Jacksonville on April 25, with all of this originating out of Rep. Kat Cammack’s office, said Todd Belknap, Veterans Helping Veterans executive director. Mautner also had the distinction of being interviewed by a videographer in front of the World War II Memorial. A number of people came up to Mautner and talked with him, sharing with the U.S. Army Air Corps veteran that their fathers had served in World War II, making a powerful connection, one that was truly palpable.
“Howard said, ‘that this has been one of the best days of my life,'” said Belknap. “We visited the World War II Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, we were able to do that all-in-one day.”
The 102-year-old World War II veteran has reached celebrity status. Mautner had a special visitor, U.S. Rep Kat Cammack, who came just to see him, waiting patiently in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial with her 8-month-old daughter Augusta.
“Upon our arrival Rep. Cammack was there,” said Belknap, who served as Mautner’s guardian on the Honor Flight, accompanying him to all of the different sites on the tour around Washington D.C. “She and Howard had a nice intimate conversation. I said to her, ‘you have to have like 13,000 other things to do.’ She said, ‘No, I wanted to come and see my friend Howard.'”
But that was just the one the many experiences Mautner enjoyed during the tour. There were several women’s groups at the Iwo Jima Memorial, and U.S. Rep. Cammack organized everyone leading the group in a rendition of singing Happy Birthday to Mautner.
Mautner and Belknap left Jacksonville on the Honor Flight at about 7 a.m. on April 25, and the return flight had them back in Jacksonville at about 7:30 p.m. They were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd who was waiting at the airport. There were dozens of people cheering and holding up signs, welcoming the returning veterans’ home.
“This one lady that we didn’t even know had baked Howard a birthday cake with 102 on it,” said Belknap. “She came up to him, when I was wheeling him through the concourse in the wheelchair and she goes happy birthday Howard. There were some folks from Marion County who made the drive up to Jacksonville to say Welcome Home Howard! Bob and Barbara Schmidt as well as a couple of other folks. He was smiling throughout the whole day.”
Nearly 25 people lined up to have their pictures taken with Mautner after they noticed his World War II hat. Belknap marveled at the centenarian’s stamina.
Mautner and Belknap arrived at Jacksonville Airport and while they were waiting in the terminal, American Airlines, who they flew on, got on the intercom, and they all sang happy birthday to Howard in the terminal, presenting him with a cake.
“First Coast Honor Flight did a tremendous job in taking care of the veterans and maximizing the potential on everything,” said Belknap. “In Jacksonville, leading to the gate, we were led by a corps of bagpipers and went through the whole terminal, and everybody started clapping.”