‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world’: Hundreds celebrate WWII veteran’s 100th birthday car parade

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - Hundreds of people in the community helped a Bay Area WWII marine veteran ring in his 100th birthday with a special parade. 

Dozens of friends, family members and strangers decked out their cars with patriotic signs and decorates to celebrate WWII Marine Cpl. Bart Corricelli's milestone. Birthday wishes came from strangers Saturday for an American Patriot turning a century old.

"I love them. That means that they're American people. That means they like people that do things like I did," Corricelli commented.

Corricelli, a WWII veteran who served in the marines, was born exactly 100 years ago back on February 4, 1922. Now, a century later a miles-long parade to celebrate his milestone birthday.

"Amazingly happy for him. He's had a rough couple of weeks and he made it to 100 and were so, so blessed," Corricelli's daughter Angie Goodwin said.

It was a proud moment for Goodwin. She initially just planned on having a party, but after someone suggested a parade their housekeeper posted about it on the NextDoor app. Hundreds of people showed up.

"It's overwhelming. I have to be really honest. I've been crying off and on for the last two weeks because it's moving to see this kind of care and concern for an individual especially for someone who has lived through so much as he has," their housekeeper Michelle Jacksons stated.

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Corricelli served on multiple WWII campaigns in the Pacific and was there in Iwo Jima when the iconic ‘Raising of the Flag’ photo was taken. Decades later, some of his comrades are still here to witness yet another iconic moment as their military brother turns 100. 

"I wouldn't miss this for the world and it's a great tribute to a 100-year-old veteran and we are so fortunate to have him with us," WWII veteran O'Neil F. Ducharme said.

Saturday, a few hundred people decked out their cars with American flags and patriotic signs driving by Corricelli's Treasure Island home to simply wish him a happy birthday.

"Kindness pays regardless of where you, what you are or what you've done. Kindness pays. And that's just the bottom line. Be kind and pass it on," Jackson said.