‘Freedom isn’t free:’ WWII veteran turns 101, looks back on his service
WWII veteran Russell Phipps has one key message: "Freedom isn't free." (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald/TNS)
JANUARY 04, 2023 LANCE REYNOLDS - BOSTON HERALD
Mixing in laughs with deep insight, World War II veteran Russell Phipps looked back on his time as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps after touring the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts.
Phipps’ trip to the museum Thursday, full of tanks, armored vehicles, planes and other artifacts from the country’s conflicts, came a day after he turned 101 years old. He celebrated his birthday by hopping onto his tractor and driving it down his driveway, a sign that he still has the fresh energy that has led to a fulfilling life.
Decades removed from the end of World War II, Phipps said important lessons remain from the worst conflict in human history.
“If you don’t have any freedom to love, to enjoy life and do the things that you want, then you’re going to be under the control of somebody else,” Phipps said. “Freedom isn’t free. If it comes to the point where you have to stand up and fight, you’ve got to do it.”
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2023/01/freedom-isnt-free-wwii-veteran-turns-101-looks-back-on-his-service/
