WWII veteran skydives for 100th birthday

CORONADO, Calif. (KSWB) —  War hero Tom Rice celebrated his 100th birthday Sunday by parachuting out of a C-47 plane over Coronado, California.

Hundreds of nearby residents, military members included, flocked to the beach to meet Rice when he landed on the Hotel del Coronado beachfront.

“It’s unbelievable what you can view from up there,” Rice said. “We do a lot of maneuvering up there. That was a lot of fun.”

Rice, an airborne paratrooper who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day during World War II, was greeted with cheers, cake and a new watch to replace the one he lost while on the D-Day mission.

With a new watch on his arm and a century under his belt, Rice has one piece of advice for the next generation. 

“Keep physically fit and be prepared for anything,” he said. 

Rice said for his 101st birthday, he wants to parachute again, but at an even higher altitude.