Ozarks veteran who survived Great Depression, four WWII invasions celebrates 100th birthday
Every Tuesday before lunch, Bud Clauson dials up the only living friend from his youth.
Clauson, who resides at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon, uses this time to reflect, laugh and opine with a 97-year-old Wisconsin woman who can also hark back to their Midwest upbringings.
They've experienced the Great Depression, World War II, each other's weddings, and a laundry list of cultural changes.
Today they celebrate a milestone.
"I really don't know how I got to live this long," said Clauson, who turns 100 years old. "But I'm still here for some reason. I don't know what — you never know the Lord's plan — but I'm glad to still be here."
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Born Raymond Clauson on Aug. 7, 1922 in Rockford, Illinois, the 1940 Rock High School graduate and Navy veteran never thought he'd reach centenarian status.
"I had a wonderful father. A big, muscular guy," Clauson said. "He died at 56 because of a heart condition, so I thought I would die at that age, too."
Clauson, who held the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class in the Navy, had already survived four World War II invasions by age 25. He transported troops on amphibious warships.
He saw the worst of the Great Depression when his family lost their hardware store and home. They eventually got back on their feet.
"But it wasn't all bad back then," he said. "There were good times, too."
A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, he remembers paying $1.25 for grandstand tickets at Wrigley Field and when the milkman made deliveries by horse carriage.
After his military service, Clauson returned to Rockford where he lived until age 59 and was a longtime employee at J.L. Clark manufacturing. He held several positions.
The father of two and grandfather to four also spent a decade in real estate. After retiring and moving to Florida in 2006, he and his wife moved to Springfield to be near family.
Following his wife's 2018 passing, Clauson moved into the veterans home and has enjoyed the experience.
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"I didn't want to be alone, so it's been good. It's a nice place," Clauson said.
Clauson can often be heard whistling and singing at the Mt. Vernon facility, or watching Cubs games and movies.
He said he is typically in good spirits and in conversation. It appears to have contributed to his longevity.
"I laugh a lot, have fun, and don't sit around morbidly or cause trouble for people," he said.
Several family members — Clauson speaks proudly when describing his relatives — will be attending his birthday celebration today.
Clauson is as excited to see them as he is hitting the century mark.
"I've been thinking about this all year," he said.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri WWII veteran who survived four amphibious landings turns 100
