103-year-old WWII veteran credits soda and dark chocolate for his longevity as he celebrates birthday

A Pennsylvania World War II veteran celebrated his 103 birthday earlier this month, calling it the greatest day of his life, while he shared the secret of his extraordinary longevity.

Frank Pugliano Sr., dressed in his WWII veteran jacket and hat, enjoyed the birthday festivities along with his family and friends at Boyce Park, outside of Pittsburgh, PA. last weekend where tables were decorated with tiny American flags.

“The greatest day of my life,” he told WTAE. “I never thought I’d be here at 103, going from what I went through. You never know. A lot of my friends never made it, but I made it.”

Pugliano credits Coca-Cola and dark chocolate as the reason he made it to 103, he told the outlet.

The Italian-born soldier immigrated to the US when he was only 6 years old and graduated from Penn Hills High School in 1942, according to the Tribune-Review.

Pugliano enlisted in the US Army and served for three years in the Pacific theater, where he survived a Japanese torpedo attack while he was deployed on a convoy mission to Luzon in the Philippines.

He says he saw a lot of young men lose their lives during the attack.

Pugliano was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945.

Following his return home, Pugliano married his high school sweetheart, Mary Strough, and the couple were married for 65 years until she died in 2011.

He became a diesel mechanic after his military service, specializing in heavy equipment.

At the time of his centennial milestone, Pugliano credited “good Italian genes” and staying active as the reason he reached triple digits.

“The doctor told me, ‘Whatever you’re doing, do it,’” Pugliano told the newspaper, boasting about his excellent health except for bad knees.

“His health is remarkable and he doesn’t look his age. His frame of mind, everything … it’s absolutely incredible,” Pugliano’s son, Frank Pugliano Jr. said at his father’s 100th birthday.

The 103-year-old says he cuts his grass and maintains his home to keep active.

The Greatest Generation member still keeps up with the times, using his iPad daily and running his own Facebook account.

“That’s how I keep in touch with my relatives,” Pugliano said.

He most recently worked at a 55-and-over residential community, maintaining the clubhouse until he was 98 years old.

Pugliano said his favorite dishes include three eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and coffee at Kings Family Restaurant and pasta fagioli at his favorite restaurant, The Olive Garden, according to the Tribune.

In March, Vincent Dransfield, a former New Jersey volunteer fire chief and great-grandfather of seven turned 110.

Dransfield is one of the few men in the group of 110-plus-year-olds and has lived a healthy life all those years with just some knee pain to complain about, according to “Today.”

He lives alone with no home aide or extra help, cooks simple food for himself, walks up and down his three-level house and drives “pretty good” daily with no issues.