The secret to living a long life, according to a WWII veteran who recently turned 100, is moderation and great luck.
His large, old photo album is filled with stories of dangerous flying over other nations. Although he loved to fly, he believed that he was probably afraid.
However, he said he didn’t often have time to think about anything besides navigation because he was so busy.
Kenneth Beckman became the 8th Air Force’s youngest major in 1943, thanks to his navigation skills. During that time, he was 22. On Sunday, he turned 100. One can believe he did something good.
No, I did everything wrong, Beckman laughed. “I only get five hours. I was meant to sleep. Even now, I only consume one meal per day.”
He admits to moderation.
I’m only allowed one highball a night,” he said with a chuckle.
It is nothing new for Beckman to celebrate survival. Sadly, many boys who flew across Europe died before they turned 30. They had been shot down.
Beckman states, “We lost more people in the 8th Air Force than the entire Marines did in the Pacific.” During World War II, 26,000 airmen died while flying over Europe.
Beckman piloted 48 B-17s in combat flights. His aircraft was shot at, and he recalls a near-miss when his bomber caught fire.
He claimed, “I was just about ready to go; I had my feet hanging out of the escape hatch.
The pilot was instructed to jump after counting to five.
“My co-pilot told everyone to hold it when I was at four. The fire is out.”
He will explain how he managed to survive if you ask him.
I was pretty lucky, he said.
However, the navigator frequently had something more. He knew the locations of the German guns.
He said, “I could fly around them after putting them on my chart.
Beckman would guide up to 100 B-17s around the German guns using the finest charts he could generate using intelligence data. The explosives’ success was visible underneath him as they found their target.
Colonel Kenneth Beckman was appointed chief navigator by the Air Force. In 1972, after serving for 30 years, he decided to retire.
Indeed, a portion of it was luck.
“I never bothered about it. I didn’t give it any thought at all. I was carrying out my natural calling, “Beckman said.
Born a century ago, his large book illustrates how good luck and strategic planning contributed to the war’s victory.
Beckman spent a significant amount of time working with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary after leaving the Air Force.
He and his wife, Connie, reside in Saint Petersburg.
