NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — On November 1, 1924, Andrew Valero was born in Manhattan, New York, and exactly 100 years later, it’s been quite the life this now-retired Army veteran has lived.
Luck, faith and family: 99-year-old WWII veteran reflects on time served
Speaking with the retired Valero, better known as Sgt. Andy, the day before his 100th birthday, he had so many stories to tell. When asked about the secret to a long and good life, Sgt. Andy immediately said “an education” and “good friends.”
He shared that he was not the best student growing up, but he worked hard to eventually get his high school diploma. He laughed in his recollection of skipping a number of his high school classes to flirt with some of the girls at his school.
Valero had a mischievous twinkle in his eye when he said his mother didn’t know about his high school hijinks until he had already been drafted by the U.S. Army in April 1943 and began basic training at Camp Stewart, Georgia.
After his training, Sgt. Andy was dispatched to Europe as a replacement soldier for the 9th Infantry Division. He fought in multiple battles, including the Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes Forest, Hurtgen Forest, and a 14-mile overnight march to the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, Germany. It was there where Sgt. Andy and his fellow service members ran into serious trouble, ending in the brave rescue of one of their own…