Ever wanted to ask a 100-year-old World War II veteran anything?
Armond Morris Welch, who served in the Army Air Force as a ground officer during World War II, accepted questions ranging from life advice to his time serving in the military on the social media platform Reddit earlier this month.
“I am a 100 year old human and a World War 2 veteran,” the Reddit post reads. “I want to share my life and experiences with people who might be helped by them. Ask me anything!”
The post, which claims it was started by Welch’s granddaughter, has attracted thousands of comments since it was first posted on Reddit on Nov. 4.
According to the National Archives’ National Personnel Records Center, Welch joined the military in July 1942 and served until June 1968. He was discharged after reaching the rank of major, per his military records.
Following his military service, Welch said he got his pharmacy license and then started working for the FDA.
Despite his service in WWII, Welch said the most “tense” moment of his life was when he tied the knot.
"When I stepped forward to get married,” Welch said in response to a question. “No kidding, just briefly, I thought I was gonna faint when the pastor asked those questions."
Many of the Welch’s responses mentioned his late wife, Audrey. According to a reply from Welch’s granddaughter, Welch gets a “light that illuminates his entire being” when he talks about her. In fact, she said that the calendar in his bedroom remains set to the year and month that she passed.
When asked if he has any regrets from his younger days, he responded not marrying his wife Audrey sooner.
His advice to younger generations? “Just use common sense!”
Welch, who credits his long life to eating “a lot of oysters,” says his parents were the most influential people he’s ever met in his life because of the “standards they held.” He also said that having an “excellent family and superb friends” have made him the happiest in life.
According to a newspaper clipping Welch’s granddaughter included on the thread, Welch graduated from Bremerton High School in 1937 and also graduated from the University of Washington.
