100-Year-Old Veteran Honored With Birthday Parade In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The Ocean City community wished Francis McCormac a happy 100th birthday on Saturday at a drive-by parade.

Family and friends lined the streets to celebrate with McCormac while members of the police and fire departments guided a parade of cars past his home. The parade started at the Ocean City Tabernacle around 1 p.m. and traveled to his home on Fourth Street.

McCormac is a 16-year resident of Ocean City, according to his daughter-in-law Kay Jacobs who organized the birthday parade. He turned 100 on May 18.

Jacobs held a drive-by parade for his 99th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic last year and decided to plan another one to celebrate his centenarian status.

McCormac is a World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of Normandy and was at the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp, Jacobs said. McCormac was also awarded with the French Medal Of Honor last year.

He is among the dwindling number of World War II veterans who are still alive, according to the National World War II Museum.

Since his birthday on May 18, McCormac also became one of the 97,000 Americans who are 100 years old.

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