100-Year-Old WWII Veteran on Surviving Kamikaze Attacks and Naval Service

CentenarianSteveElliswasbarely16whenhejoinedtheNavalReserveOfficers’TrainingCorps(ROTC)atTulaneUniversity—monthsbeforetheU.S.enteredWorldWarII. Beforethatleap,theLouisiananative’smaritimeexperiencewasminimal.“ThebiggestthingIhadeverbeenonwasacanoe,”the100-year-oldveterantoldNewsweek.Yetsoon,hewouldserveaboardavesselmorethan300-feetlongand50-feetwide. EllisgrewupinthesmalltownofAmite,andhisjourneyintomilitaryservicebeganwhenhisfathersignedhimupforROTCjustmonthsbeforetheJapaneseattackonPearlHarbor,thestrikethatpropelledAmericaintoglobalconflict. InFebruary1944,thewarwasnolongerdistant.Administrators“cametomyclassroomonemorningandannouncedthatourclasswouldbecommissionedinthreeweeks,”Ellisrecalled.Atjust19,hewascommissionedasagunneryofficerandshippedofftothePacificTheater. SteveEllis(L)andDeWittClintonMcGee(R)ontopoftheSt.FrancisHotelinSanFranciscoonMay31,1946. SteveEllis(L)andDeWit