What Fanwood's 104-Year-Old WWII Vet Joe Schott Did on His Summer Vacation

At 104, Joe Schott, a World War II veteran from Fanwood, was invited to speak at a ceremony marking the 82nd anniversary of D-Day at Normandy's historic Pegasus Bridge. Schott was one of a group of WWII veterans from across the country who were flown by the Best Defense Foundation (BDF) on Delta Air Lines to Atlanta, where they attended a gala featuring a 20-piece band that played songs by Glenn Miller. Attendees included the CEOs of Delta and Michelin. BDF honors veterans by returning them to the battlefields where they served and provides the experience free of charge.

When the American veterans arrived in France, French President Emmanuel Macron greeted them, shaking Schott's hand first in line. Schott, who was stationed in County Derry, Northern Ireland, during WWII, was asked to speak on behalf of the group at the ceremony at the Pegasus Bridge, which was captured on June 6, 1944, by British airborne troops.

During the event, Schott was reunited with Sophie Woodhouse, whom he first met as a young girl during the war while stationed in Northern Ireland. Schott, then a naval communications officer, had befriended Woodhouse's family and wrote home asking his mother to send scarce items such as coffee and sugar. Woodhouse eventually married and moved to France, attending the Pegasus Bridge ceremony with two daughters and a grandson.

Upon their return home, the veterans were invited to attend America 250 celebrations in Washington, DC, on July Fourth as guests of honor at the fireworks spectacular. Back home, Schott has returned to his usual routine, including painting, with his artwork displayed at the Fanwood Library and at Scotch Plains' America 250 celebration in June.

This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy against official sources.

Produced with AI assistance and reviewed against source records.