The Booty Report

Arr, the scurvy World War II veteran, a former German POW, be hittin' the grand age o' 100! He says, "A war should only be turnin' to when there be no other option, me hearties!"

2023-10-15

Arr, behold! Wally King, a former German POW from the grand World War II, be hittin' the big 1-0-0! To mark this grand occasion, he be settin' sail back to ye ol' Germany. Aye, a fine celebration awaits this old matey!

A 99-year-old World War II veteran, 1st Lt. Wallace "Wally" King, is preparing to celebrate his 100th birthday and will be returning to Germany for the first time since the war. King was born and raised in rural Ohio and had always dreamed of flying airplanes. He idolized Charles Lindbergh and played with model airplanes as a child. However, the Army Air Corps at the time required pilots to have two years of college and be over the age of 20, neither of which King had. But a year after graduating from high school, the requirements changed to just high school graduates over the age of 18, so King applied for cadet training and was accepted. He went through various training programs and eventually became a second lieutenant and a pilot.

King flew missions in France on the P-47 Thunderbolt airplane and was shot down on his 75th mission in April 1945. He was captured by the Germans and ended up in a German evacuation hospital on the Russian front. By that time, the war was winding down, and the Russians were closing in on Berlin. King was cared for by a German doctor who took care of him and other wounded American soldiers. Eventually, King made a daring escape with the help of the German doctor and surrendered German soldiers.

After being back in American hands, King spent time recovering in a hospital in France before returning home to Ohio. He later became a CPA and opened up his own firm. Today, he shares his experiences of World War II with schools and organizations, emphasizing the harsh realities of war.

On his 100th birthday, King will be joining the Best Defense Foundation on a trip to Germany, his first time back since being a prisoner of war. He is excited to see the places he's read about and reflect on how different his situation is now.

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