
104-year-old World War II vet celebrated at Fort Lauderdale event on Veteran's Day
By Marcus Chen
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Frank Orilio has always marched to the beat of his own drum.The World War II veteran was honored Wednesday at a Veterans Day celebration at Mission Barbecue, where he treated guests to a live performance of big band-era hits. Attendees also sang "Happy Birthday" in honor of Orilio's 104th birthday this week.Orilio has been playing the drums for 95 years, a passion that started in his childhood home."I've been playing drums for 95 years," Orilio said. "I broke every lamp, dented every pot. My mother finally put a stop to it because I demolished the whole house."During the war, Orilio served in both the infantry and the Air Corps, fighting on the front lines in Germany and France."You are in mud water, and you're cold," he recalled. "My job was to carry the base plate for the mortar."After his military service, he turned his musical talent into a professional career, landing a job playing drums at Radio City Music Hall in New York.Orilio remains philosophical about reaching his milestone