Living Legacy: 100-Year-Old WWII Pilot Takes to the Skies Again
At 100 years young, WWII veteran Colonel Joe Peterburs recently rejoined the skies — not as a passenger, but as a pilot. In a deeply moving moment, this century-old legend flew his beloved P-51H Mustang once more during the Rumble Over the Redwoods Air Show in California — this time, with his granddaughter flying just two feet alongside him in a P-51D Mustang.
The Flight of a Lifetime …
Peterburs — or “Joe” — remembers those early wartime missions as though they were yesterday. Escorted bombers over Germany in 49 combat sorties in WWII and flew 76 more in Korea. During August’s air show, he climbed into the cockpit and pulled 4Gs, looping, rolling, and performing aerobatics with the same fearless spirit of a young pilot.
“Her wingtip was about two feet away from mine … She almost filled that rear cockpit up with tears,” he reflected softly on flying in formation with his granddaughter. (Military Times)
Why This Matters …
- Bridging Generations: Seeing a 100-year-old veteran take to the skies with his granddaughter is not just heartwarming — it’s a powerful reminder that service, family, and memory are inseparable.
- Living History: Veterans like Peterburs give tangible life to decades-old history. It’s one thing to read about WWII air campaigns — it’s another to witness a centennial hero fly the very plane that brought him home.
- Resilience Personified: Peterburs survived being shot down, captured by the Germans, escaped a POW camp, flew in Korea, Vietnam — none of this dampened his spirit. Now he’s airborne again, legacy and sacrifice etched in every loop.
What Disabled Veterans Can Take Away
- Strength in Continuity: No matter how long ago service ended, the warrior spirit lasts. Peterburs continues to inspire through resilience and courage that defy time.
- Legacy of Service: His return to flight teaches us that honoring service isn’t confined to memorials — it can be an act of soaring.
- Personal Connection: Don’t underestimate the power of small, symbolic moments — like flying alongside a grandchild — to heal and unite.
Final Thoughts …
When Captain Joe Peterburs climbed into his P-51 Mustang at age 100, it wasn’t nostalgia — it was tribute. A tribute to his comrades, to service, and to the endless sky that still calls his name. That flight wasn’t just a loop — it was a symbol: for freedom, for family, and for a life lived in service.
For more stories like this, visit DisabledVeterans.org.
It’s like whack a mole with the scandals at VHA, many of which get swept under the rug. It’s a jobs program for insubordinate and sometime mentally ill people. It’s like Donkey Island from Pinocchio in there. It has to end. Open it up to the public and watch it implode. Give veterans medical cards. They need to let Luigi Mangione loose in that piss hole.
Tell us the suits you’ve won against the VA… otherwise we can assume you’re just here to promote this horrible system.
The psychologists at VA lie and make up absurd nonsense. How can they justify use of taxpayer money to fund something like that? Why should people be forced to go to someone like that for healthcare? We need an insurance program similar to Tricare. The VA is an abject failure and an embarrassment to the USA.