101-year-old WWII Vet Flies Again in Vintage Bi-plane

At 101 years old, Lester Schrenk still carries the spirit of adventure that defined his generation. When he climbed into the front seat of an open-cockpit biplane at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the pilot couldn’t help but be impressed.

A Life Shaped by War

Schrenk enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 with dreams of becoming a pilot. But he was rejected for “poor eyesight”—a judgment he still laughs at today. “Here I am at 101, and I still don’t wear glasses!” he said with a grin.

Instead, he became a ball-turret gunner on a B-17. On his tenth mission in 1944, his plane was shot down over Europe. Captured, he spent 15 grueling months in POW camps before liberation. Decades later, Schrenk even met the German pilot who shot him down—thankful the man chose not to fire on his crew as they parachuted to safety.

Dream Flights: Honoring Veterans

Schrenk’s latest flight was part of Dream Flights, a nonprofit that gives short biplane rides to veterans over the age of 65. Supported by the Oregon-based Vital Life Foundation, the group is on track to honor its 8,000th veteran this fall.

At Eden Prairie, Schrenk was the only World War II veteran among ten participants. Nearly 102, he climbed aboard with ease, even joking with the pilot: “Can we do barrel rolls or loopity loops?” The pilot laughed, “They don’t pay me enough for that.” Schrenk shot back: “I’ll reimburse you!”

When he landed, he quipped that this time, at least, he didn’t have to bail out.

A Relentless Spirit

Schrenk isn’t slowing down. Last year, he traveled to Belgium for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, then to Normandy for D-Day ceremonies. This fall, he’ll head to Hawaii for the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender.

Fewer than one percent of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive. Schrenk knows it, but he’s determined to keep going. When asked the secret to his long life, he had a simple answer:

“You’ll be 102 too—just don’t die!”