Veteran Celebrates 101st Birthday with Flight Over Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (April 29, 2026) — At 101 years old, World War II veteran Jose Noe Mendez still remembers the sound of aircraft engines—and recently, he got to hear them again from the sky.
In a tribute to his service, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Squadron partnered with Vintage Air Tours to help make a birthday flight possible for Mendez, reconnecting him with a chapter of his past that began more than 80 years ago. The flight itself was conducted by Vintage Air Tours in one of their historic aircraft, bringing the experience full circle for a man who once worked on similar engines as a young trainee.
At just 17 years old, Mendez trained at a Navy aircraft engine school near Corpus Christi, where he distinguished himself as a mechanic working on aircraft of the era. After completing his training, he served seven months on the front lines in Europe during World War II, including the brutal Battle of the Bulge. In 1945, he was wounded in combat and spent months recovering in England. For his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart along with three battle stars for the Hürtgen Forest, the Bulge, and Central Europe campaigns.
On his 101st birthday, Mendez climbed aboard a PT-17 Stearman—similar to those he once supported—and took to the skies over the Texas Coastal Bend. As the aircraft lifted off, it passed landmarks like the USS Lexington Museum, offering a new perspective on a life that once experienced war from the ground. When he returned, he summed up the experience simply: it “took him back.”
The aircraft and flight were provided by Vintage Air Tours, a Rockport-based operator specializing in historic aviation experiences, including flights in aircraft like the PT-17 Stearman and U-18 Navion. Their role, alongside CAF volunteers, made the moment possible—part of a broader CAF initiative to fly at least 1,000 veterans and ensure the stories of the Greatest Generation continue to be experienced, not just remembered.
