Edina World War II veteran Jim Rasmussen celebrates 100th birthday
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — It was a day filled with laughs and gratitude in Bloomington as the community celebrated a big birthday. A World War II combat veteran from Minnesota turned 100 years old.
There is no shortage of pictures or stories when you meet Lt. Jim Rasmussen. That's not a surprise after being around for 100 years.
"One of the things I'm most proud of is the fact I got this far. It's one of those things I never thought I'd do," Rasmussen said. "Normally when you celebrate something at 100 years, it's a memorial."
The Twin Cities honored the Edina native who flew 32 missions with the Bloody 100th Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force during World War II.
"We were just crazy, we were nuts because we were so thankful that you finally came and you rescued us. And I want to thank you for that," said an audience member who was in Germany during the war.
MORE: Midtown Global Market presents series of artists in residency
Rasmussen's passion to serve started as young as 17.
"My parents wouldn't sign for me because they said you have six months left to go to high school," he recalled. "A friend asked me when I finished high school to go to work with him, so we worked for about a year and then the president sent me an invitation and I joined up with the rest of them at that time."
His squad even got a nod from Hollywood in the new series "Masters of the Air."
"One time, the clouds were so thick, when you're flying around in there and when you'd see a shadow go flashing by you, you'd think 'Whoops, that was an airplane!' A couple different times that happened, it would really scare you seeing another plane that close to you."
All these years later, his sense of humor and adventure haven't slowed down one bit.
"I told them that parachuting was on my bucket list and they said come on over to England. We'll sign you up for a buddy jump and I had my advisor standing there going like this (thumbs down gesture)"
But everyone in the room gave more than a thumbs up for Rasmussen's bravery and service.
"He's one of a rare breed of a few left. Men like that need to be remembered because they represent the best of us," said Andrew Berg, a local historian.
16 million Americans served alongside Rasmussen in World War II. Fewer than 130,000 are still alive.
