A Centenarian Celebration for Army Hero, Evertt Atkinson
In the quiet halls of the Mt. Vernon Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), history came alive. Evertt Atkinson, a 102-year-old World War II Army Veteran, stood before us—a living legend whose courage shaped the course of history.
Mr. Atkinson’s journey began in rural America. A 9th-grade-educated farm boy, he felt the call to serve after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fate led him away from battlefields and into a different arena—an airplane mechanic’s workshop.
As the war raged on, Mr. Atkinson transitioned from fixing planes to teaching others how to fly them. He became a flight instructor for the B-17, and later joined the B-29 Super Fortress instructors.
On that warm July day, surrounded by Marion VA Health Care System staff and fellow Veterans, Mr. Atkinson’s humility touched our hearts. The staff at the Mt. Vernon CBOC and the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) came together to organize a celebration worthy of a hero.
We presented Mr. Atkinson with his Centenarian Letter and coin.
To Mr. Atkinson, we say: Thank you. May your wings continue to carry you!
Do you have a Veteran who will be turning 100? Or maybe you have a Veteran who has already passed that milestone!
We would love to recognize those Veterans with a Veteran Centenarian Award!
Please contact vhamrncdce@va.gov for more information.