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HOUSTON, Texas — Chester “Buck” Sloan has lived an extraordinary life.
“On June 1st, I’ll turn 100 years old, and it means quite a bit,” Buck says with a proud smile.
Every Saturday, you can find the World War II veteran dancing, singing, and playing his guitar at the Buckshot Jamboree in East Houston. This jamboree is a treasure trove of Buck’s memories, with the walls adorned with photos and clippings from his remarkable past.
After his birthday, Buck and his wife, Shirley, will return to the beaches of Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Despite the passage of eight decades, Buck’s memories of his time in Europe remain vivid. “They gave me a Browning automatic rifle, which I kept from Normandy beach and took to the Battle of the Bulge,” he recalls.
Drafted at 18, Buck found himself in the midst of war at 19, quickly maturing as he fought for his country. He was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded at the Battle of the Bulge.
But the war wasn’t solely filled with hardship. Buck and his fellow soldiers helped save a Polish boy named Joe, who had lost his parents in the fighting. When it was time to return home, Buck remembered, “I said, what are we going to do with little Joe? Sergeant Rickie said, hold on. He went and got a new duffle bag. We put little Joe in there, and I carried him up the gang plank. Little Joe was coming to America with us. Sergeant Rickie adopted him.”
Buck is the last surviving member of his World War II division. He looks forward to returning to Normandy one more time, saying, “when I get through shaking a lot of hands, it will feel good.”
In anticipation of his milestone birthday, Buck has received dozens of cards from across the nation. If you’d like to send Buck a birthday card, you can mail it to the Buckshot Jamboree at 7414 Hartman, Houston, TX 77049.
The Jamboree is also planning a big celebration for Buck on June 1st at 2 PM.