Indiana WWII veteran celebrates 107th birthday with friends, family

EVANSVILLE − The opening lines of “Happy Birthday” floated through the nursing home’s lobby, past silver hair and veteran’s hats to reach Thurman Carnal, looking out from the seat of honor.

Light glimmered up from the red, white and blue sheet cake in front of him, crowned with three numbered candles: 107.

The song grew louder, and Carnal pulled back to take in a breath. As the crowd sang his name, one of Indiana’s oldest living World War II veterans blew out his candles with a single puff.

In a celebration Thursday at Terrace at Solarbron Senior Living, friends and family came together to celebrate Carnal and the life he’s lived.

“It’s just amazing that he’s still active and still got his mind and he’s 107,” said Brian Hobbs, who grew up across the street from Carnal. “He’s a badass.”

Born in Dixon, Kentucky in 1916, Carnal lived on a farm for the first years of his life, working odd jobs. He married his wife Agnes in 1941, and they moved to Evansville around the same time, Carnal’s son, Darrell, said.

Carnal was drafted for WWII the next year, 1942, and was assigned to the 24th Evacuation Hospital. He sailed to Europe on the Queen Mary, he said. He arrived in Normandy six days after D-Day and said he drove a truck off an LST as part of the invasion.

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His best memory of Evansville, he said, is coming home after the war. But at his party, the mood was light. When asked what he’d think if someone had said, at 100, he’d make it to 107, his response was simple: “I’d call you a liar!”

A half-hour into the party, the revving of motorcycles sounded from outside the home’s glass doors. Rolling Thunder, a veteran advocacy group, did two loops around the parking lot, saluting Carnal as they passed with flags waving behind them. They presented the veteran with a flag and pin from the Indiana Patriot Guard.

Attendees across the board commented on Carnal’s kindness and wit, particularly at his age. “He’s smart as a whip,” said Jennifer Smith, director of marketing and admissions at Terrace at Solarbron. “His brain is so sharp.”

Carnal only moved to Solarbron two years ago. Before that, he still lived on his own, said niece Beth Bloss, who came with Carnal’s nephew Dan Green and his great-great nephew, Owen Harris. Laughing, she told her favorite story about Carnal: when he needed to get his license renewed at age 100, he had to go to the license branch in person because they couldn’t scroll down far enough.

The party lasted two hours. As people started to trickle out, longtime friend Connie Vickery stayed by Carnal’s side, helping him understand people’s questions and chatting. She met him when he took his wife into the salon — “every week,” she said — and they still call all the time.

“It’s an honor to know him,” Vickery said. “He’s such a gift.”

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Indiana WWII veteran celebrates 107th birthday with friends, family