World War II veteran honored and celebrated on 100th birthday with community parade

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Boots hit the ground on Highway 90 in South Carolina on Saturday, alongside shoes, canes and hooves.

A small parade of veterans and community members led a horse-drawn carriage to the Chesterfield Baptist Church

Deacon Emeritus Elmore Bellamy, a World War II vet and nearly lifelong member of the church, celebrated his 100th birthday alongside the community he has spent a lifetime in.

Born on September 25, 1923, Bellamy grew up yearning to go to college, before eventually answering the call to serve his nation during WWII. On Monday, October 4, 1943, he arrived at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Before long, he was in the Army Air Force Corps, becoming an ammunition technician onboard the USS Missouri Battleship.

On February 19, 1945, his unit was just a few miles from Mount Suribachi, right as the United States began its infamous attack on Iwo Jima. He was awarded with WWII Victory Medal for his service, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. He was honorably discharged on February 27, 1946, when he returned home and has spent the majority of his life trying to better his community and his church.

"He's an amazing man," said James R Matthews, the current Pastor at Chesterfield Baptist Church. "He's done a lot of amazing things. He's sat on many boards, and he made things better."

Once his horse-drawn carriage arrived at the church, he was welcomed with smiles and cheers.

The community brought him inside for dinner, scripture and celebration, offering the same warmth to him that he has offered his community for the last century.