And Harry Turns 92

— by Lin McNulty —

Photo credit: Chuck Briggs

Monday night at the American Legion came alive and sizzled with the celebration of the 92nd birthday of WWII veteran Harry Patton.

The planned surprise party was not a total surprise, as Harry came into contact with someone earlier in the day who leaked the information to him. So much for surprises on Orcas.

When asked about his military record, his first and seemingly most important memory of that time was “chasing girls in Tijuana.” His military record, he recounted as he sat at a corner table, surrounded by fellow veterans, is not important. What matters to him is his life here on Orcas. And, he proudly states, “after 92 years I’ve learned to read women’s minds.” Oh, Harry!

Photo credit: Chuck Briggs

When the time came for him to blow out the candles on his cake, which for some reason read “29” instead of “92,” he forgot, he said, to make a wish. All he cared about at that point was meeting the woman who decorated the eagle emblazoned on the cake because he wanted to marry her.

After more coaxing, he did relate that he spent 27 years in the Navy Air Corps as a carrier-based fighter pilot. He also spent some time working on top-secret films for Boeing. When a Boeing rocket did not get off the ground at Cape Canaveral in 1953, it was Harry’s task, as a writer, to make that appear to be progress, rather than failure.

It is no secret that the gregarious Harry loves to be surrounded by women, but also “at 92,” Harry noted, “you like anything.”