Gulfport community celebrates Louisiana-born US Army veteran as he turns 100

GULFPORT, Miss (WVUE) – Retired US Army veteran Robert Richard is now 100 years old.

His friends helped him celebrate a century of life Monday (March 10) at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport.

“I’m a hundred inside, but outside I don’t feel that way,” Richard said.

Festivities included a special appearance by the Mississippi Seawolves hockey team. And a letter from Gulfport mayor Billy Hewes, recognizing Richard for his service in the Korean War.

Richard remembered that conflict as he prepared to eat a slice of cake.

“I don’t really know how to explain it. A lot of shooting, a lot of dead people,” he said.

Richard was born on March 7, 1925, in a town outside of Eunice, La. Calvin Coolidge was president.

“I have a lot of memories, you know, about the big Depression,” he said. “I don’t think people today could handle the Depression, like what I grew up with as a child.”

Armed Forces Retirement Home administrator Sherry Grady describes Richard’s 100th birthday as a blessing.

“He had a childhood that I can only even imagine,” Grady said. “Immunities and ease of life that we have today, he did not have. There weren’t computers. There weren’t really (consumer) electronics. There wasn’t really TV.”

Hockey player Brendan Hussey is 28 years old. He said meeting Richard inspires him to live a long, fulfilled life.

“Times have changed drastically in his life and, I don’t know, it’s kind of cool,” Hussey said. “When I was younger, I remember saying I want to live until I’m 100.”

Richard said he’s blessed to have made it this far.

“I don’t know how much time I got left,” he said. “I can die tomorrow. It wouldn’t bother me, because I had a good life. I lived longer than most people.”

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