A WWII veteran gets a birthday celebration 100 years in the making

Amid all the family, loved ones and well-wishers who came to his surprise 100th birthday celebration in Dix Hills on Saturday, World War II veteran Bill Nacinovich said he was surprised he had lived so long.

"I can’t believe it’s been 100 years. I didn’t think I’d live to be 80. I never thought I’d make it to 2000," said a smiling, joking Nacinovich, of Dix Hills, who turns 100 on Monday.

More than 70 people gathered for a parade in honor of the war veteran’s life and birthday where he rode in a green Army jeep. In addition to receiving special citations from Huntington and Suffolk County, he was presented with an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, and a helicopter flew over his home in his honor.

Born on Nov. 8, 1921, in Brooklyn, Nacinovich — the sole surviving child of a family of 10 — was drafted into the U.S. Navy in the 1940s to serve in World War II. Stationed in the Pacific, he served as a Higgins boat instructor and operator. Higgins boats are credited by the National World War II Museum as having changed the way the war was fought by offering navies more options on where to unload and deploy soldiers.

Nacinovich conducted more than 200 amphibious landing practices and trained American sailors, soldiers and Marines on how to operate the boats.

After returning from the war, Nacinovich eventually moved to Elmont, working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and later at Baldwin Technology, a printing company, for more than 30 years until he eventually retired as a sales manager.

Family and loved ones describe him as a lively, sharp man who loves to be active, dance and do small jobs, such as having recently climbed a ladder to help install a garage door opener.

"He has such a positive outlook, and I think that’s gotten him to 100 years old. Plus, he’s got four women looking after him," said Ellen Kaiser, 57, of Dix Hills, the youngest of Nacinovich’s four daughters and with whom he lives.

In 1989, when Nacinovich was 68, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. However, he volunteered for a special procedure that used a portion of his small intestine to save his life. More than 30 years later, Nacinovich’s daughters marveled at how their father had gone on to live a long, healthy life and even outlived his doctors.

"People look at how fast he walks and are amazed," said Nacinovich’s second-oldest daughter, Susan Sokolowski, 64, of Kings Park. "We have to run to keep up with him sometimes."

Surrounded by several of his nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, Nacinovich marveled at how joyous the day was.

"I can’t believe what happened to me today, that they had this surprise party for me like this," Nacinovich said. "It’s amazing."