Air Force Veteran celebrates 105th birthday
Air Force Veteran Roman Johnnie Bridges celebrated his 105th birthday on September 14, 2022, in Modesto, CA, surrounded by family and friends.
Bridges was born in Columbia, Mississippi, in 1917. That year, gas was less than 10 cents a gallon, a loaf of bread was 7 cents, and the average price of a home was $5,000. In 1941, Bridges joined the Air Force when he was 24 years old.
“I was in the Air Force for 3 years, 9 months, and 28 days,” said Bridges. “In the service I would cut hair for 25 cents, lowering the price so people could afford it.”
On January 1, 1946, Bridges moved to San Francisco, CA, and worked on Treasure Island in the Naval Supply Department. Since then, Bridges has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 7 decades, raising 4 children and surrounding himself with 4 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Bridges currently lives at a residential care home in Modesto, CA, that his granddaughter Nicole Ell and her husband Albert Ell own. His granddaughter said that her grandfather can still remember the exact dates of his life events and was driving until he was 104 years old.
His care team and family decorated the front lawn of the home with a large birthday sign, balloons in his room, and commemorated the day with cake. Bridges was also visited by the vice mayor of Modesto, David Wright, who presented him with a certificate of recognition to congratulate him on this milestone.
When asked if he had any words of wisdom, Bridges said, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you and don’t take people for granted.”