By Meryl Feld
Editor
A parade of cars and motorcycles came together to celebrate local Jewish World War II veteran Meyer “Mike” Katzman’s 100th birthday — filling the parking lot of the The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City with excitement Sunday. Over 300 people attended.
Katzman told The Chronicle that it feels unbelievable to be celebrating a century of life. He turned 100 on Monday.
Katzman’s family hoped to throw him a party inside The J, but the pandemic changed those plans.
A procession of family, friends and local veterans drove by to wish him a happy birthday. “I would like to hug you and shake your hand, but it’s not feasible so it can’t happen,” Katzman said in the celebration’s video invite.
Katzman’s daughter, Salli, told The Chronicle, “We felt a lot of love as a family. We were blown away at the respect and how they honored him.”
A vintage world-war plane was flown over the celebration – the same type of plane Katzman trained men on.
“I’m a proud World War II vet and I’ve fought for the veterans all my life,” Katzman said. He is the oldest member of the Jewish War Veterans Post 605. He has been a member since 1998. Katzman was the post commander of the JWV Post 605 for over seven years.
He was instrumental in starting a JWV program called Holiday Gifts for Vets. Since 2003 this program has brought veterans and the community together to raise money and donate clothing and other necessities for veterans from all backgrounds.
Katzman was born in St. Louis. He enlisted in the Army in 1942. He was a boxer in the U.S. Army Air Forces (a predecessor of the U.S. Air Force) during World War II. Of his 100 boxing matches, he only lost six. Katzman also worked mounting gun turrets at the Air Force base in Harlingen, Texas. He also spent time at Air Force bases in Utah and Florida.
Katzman said that his favorite memory from his time in the military was when he saved the lives of 19 men. “We were taking off from our base with 19 aboard a B-17, and I’m standing at the side window. We’re going about 200 miles an hour. I’m looking at the right wing, and the cap came off and gasoline came flying out of the tank. I’m the only guy seeing this. I holler out real quick, ‘Tell that (expletive) pilot to turn this ship around,’ ” Katzman told The Chronicle for a 2016 article.
Two decades after his military service, Katzman started a manufacturers’ representative company called Katzman Grossman and Associates. He retired from the company in 1990. It’s still in business though, as Katzman Grossman Baker.
Katzman’s advice for living a good, long and healthy life? Exercise, eat properly and get a good amount of sleep. To Katzman, the key is to have a good routine.
Birthdays in Jewish tradition are a special time for giving blessings. Katzman told The Chronicle that everyone in the Kansas City Jewish community should be blessed to “Be the best person you can be and be a giver not a taker!”
Katzman has been affiliated with Congregation Beth Shalom and Congregation B’nai Jehudah. He currently lives at Village Shalom.