BG WWII vet celebrates 102nd birthday alongside 100-year-old friend

Elmo Martin & Hayward Minton remember long friendship history

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – “A living history.” Those are the words Elmo Martin’s family use to describe their 102-year-old birthday boy and patriarch.

Friends poured into Bowling Green’s historical Garvin House Monday to celebrate 102-year-old Elmo Martin’s very happy birthday.

“It’s beautiful,” Elmo said of the party. “I’m blessed. Most people don’t get that opportunity to get old,”

One of those friends in attendance was fellow WWII veteran, 100-year-old Hayward Minton.

The two men’s long history began when Hayward’s dad recruited 17-year-old Elmo to work for his sawmill company. Elmo lived with the Minton family for a stint at the end of the Great Depression.

Elmo went on to defend his country from Nazi Germany in the Battle of the Bulge. When he returned home after the war he found himself wondering, “how the Mintons were. Who was left?”

As if answering his unspoken questions, fate brought the two veterans together again.

“One day the Morgantown paper was in my mailbox, addressed to H.R. Minton,” recalled Elmo. “How it could happen, I don’t have the faintest idea. It was a miracle.”

Hayward remembered, “[Elmo] wrote me a letter and gave me his phone number, so I called him back. That’s how we got together.”

Decades later, and the two are still making plans.

“We’re fishing together in the Green River soon,” insisted Elmo.

To all his loved ones Elmo leaves these words of wisdom.

“If we have memories, yesterday is available. If we have hope, tomorrow awaits. If we have love, everything is beautiful. If we have God, any and everything is possible.”

If you feel so inclined to send your salutations, you can mail your happy birthday letters Mr. Elmo Martin to 760 Campbell Ln STE 106-117 Bowling Green, Ky 42104.

You can also check out News 40’s Voices of Honor segment to hear about Elmo’s first-hand-experience in WWII.