BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A heartfelt celebration in Bakersfield unites veterans and community members in honor of Don Barnes's remarkable life and service.
- Don Barnes, a WWII Navy veteran, celebrates his 100th birthday in Bakersfield.
- The community organized a special birthday ride featuring Harley Davidson motorcycles.
- Many community members and veterans attended the celebration at Hoffman Hospice House.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Celebrating your 100th birthday is very honorable and one very honorable man gets to celebrate his.
This is Don Barnes, and he is a World War II Veteran. He was born in 1925 in Oklahoma but moved to Bakersfield due to his father being in the oil industry.
Once Don graduated from high school, he joined the Navy. He served as a Sonarman in the Pacific, completed active duty in the Aleutians near Alaska, and was also part of a convoy.
Many community members gathered at the Hoffman Hospice House to celebrate Don, including Bakersfield Harley Davidson, who put together a ride for Don.
Ben Patten, is the Manager at Bakersfield Harley Davidson and he says, "This community that I have been a part of for the last 19 years, veterans and non-veterans alike, understand the significance of why we live the way we live today because of the sacrifices that man made. So, I put it out and immediately got tons of responses, and as you can see, the bikes are trickling in. The guys are taking an afternoon off work just to be part of this. It’s most definitely the right thing to do."
Patten says honoring and showing up for the ones who served this country is very important to him.
As for Don, his family says Harley Davidson showing up to his birthday was truly amazing, as Don has always been a Harley man.
Vicki Sills, is Dons Stepdaughter and she says, "His first vehicle was a Harley Davidson when he got out of the military in 1944. So yes, for years, he just drove his Harley Davidson across the country to see his parents or whatever he needed to do. He had his Navy hammock that he left the service with, and the hammock went on the ground and he'd head out, camp out just by his Harley in his hammock and away he went—just lots of freedom."
That freedom isn’t free. It’s the people like Don who show us why it’s important to honor all veterans.
"We know, as a corporation, where we came from. We were the motorcycles on the ground in WWI and WWII, so it’s been part of this heritage and history for years." Patten said.
Harley Davidson says they wanted to make his 100th birthday as special as possible, and Don's family says they appreciate the community coming out and honoring Don because he deserves it.
Harley Davidson, Hoffman Hospice House, and the rest of Bakersfield wish Don Barnes a happy 100th birthday.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
