A Proud Resident of Long Island turns 100 Years Old

It was my opportunity to present a historical speech to the residents of The Bristal Assisted Living at Bethpage, where I met William “Bill” Albert Meunier. He just turned 100 years old on August 26 and grew up near Coney Island with his older brother and sister. As a young man, he enjoyed swimming at the beach, rowing his boat at Gravesend, and playing baseball, football, and soccer at local fields.

Many of Bill’s older Brooklyn friends with whom he played sports joined the military during World War II. Only weeks after the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Normandy, Bill graduated from high school and eventually enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. During the Great Depression, his mother was employed by the Works Progress Administration and later worked as a seamstress for the war effort.

There was some confusion surrounding Bill’s entry into the military, as there were two different birth certificates for him that had to be resolved. After the issue was settled, Bill entered the United States Army Air Forces, trained in Mississippi, and was ordered to Europe at the very end of the war.

Most of his time was spent carrying out occupation duty in Germany, where he served as a radio operator. Bill saw firsthand the destruction left behind by Hitler’s war machine, which had terrorized Europe from 1939 to 1945. He also witnessed the dismantling of the immense American military force that had helped liberate Paris, conducted massive bombing operations against Germany’s industrial might, won the Battle of the Bulge, and pushed through Germany and Austria and into parts of Czechoslovakia to defeat the Third Reich.

This 100-year-old veteran remains immensely proud of his time in uniform. Bill operated out of an air base in Ansbach, Germany, where he witnessed peace finally being established in that part of Europe.

Returning home aboard a troop ship, Bill arrived back in Brooklyn in late 1946 and utilized the GI Bill to take courses to become a draftsman. He continued his training and later became a design engineer who worked on the Lunar Module for Grumman.

Bill had the unique experience of being one of the engineering pioneers who helped fulfill President John F. Kennedy’s call for America to reach the new frontier of outer space. This remarkable spacecraft flew between lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface during the legendary Apollo program. With its roots firmly planted on Long Island, Grumman utilized the talents of Bill and countless others to help make the United States the global leader in space exploration.

In 1963, Bill met his “sweetheart,” Bernie. They later married, had two children, Gregg and Janine, and lived in a beautiful Cape-style house in Farmingdale Village. He enjoyed listening to Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and was taught by his wife, Bernie, to dance the polka. Recalling a military roommate who played classical music, Bill developed an appreciation for it that remained with him throughout his life.

He not only loved boating on the water but still has a special place in his heart for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who broke it when they moved to Los Angeles.

Thank you to Loredana Sherman, Lifestyle Director at The Bristal at Bethpage, for setting up this interview. It is rewarding to see her team provide genuine care, respect, and attention to the needs of special citizens like Bill, who has given so much to our communities and our nation.

Happy 100th birthday to this proud Brooklyn native, Army Air Forces veteran, family man, and key member of the Grumman team who helped propel the United States past its adversaries in the Space Race.