SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego man will be celebrating his 100th birthday Saturday and Honor Flight San Diego is inviting the public to join in.
A drive-by birthday parade will be held for Mr. Paul Bottoms on Saturday, December 11 at 12970 Highway #8 Business in El Cajon from 11 a.m. to noon.
Participants are encouraged to decorate their cars, honk, and wave to Mr. Bottoms as he views the car parade. Honor Flight San Diego says there will be volunteers on-site to collect cards and letters for him.
Bottoms, who served with the U.S Army 90th Infantry Division during WWII, landed in France, via Utah Beach, two days after the initial D-Day invasion, according to HFSD.
His duty was to protect a battery of 105 Howitzers against any threat on the ground or air. His bronze star citation states that a platoon was pinned down by enemy fire from a pillbox.
Honor Flight SD says Bottoms took a machine gun, aimed it at the pillbox, and accurately eliminated all threats allowing the platoon to continue its advance safely.
Mr. Bottoms served three years in the U.S. Army and twenty years in the U.S. Navy. He went on his Honor Flight in 2016.
Participants are being asked to decorate their cars, honk, and wave to Mr. Bottoms as he views the parade. Honor Flight San Diego says there will be volunteers on-site to collect cards and letters for him.
The organization hopes to get 100 cars and 100 cards to celebrate Bottoms' birthday.
To mail a card, send it to Paul Bottoms, 12970 Highway #8 Business, Space #99, El Cajon, CA 92021.
