Navy Veteran Reflects on a Century of Life and Service

Bill Glennon, at 101 years old, moves quickly despite using a walker. The Navy veteran resides at the Prairie Path senior community in Lombard and frequently visits the Wall of Honor. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Glennon reflects less on his long life than on the surprise of still being here. He says, “To tell you the truth, I don’t know – I’m amazed I’m here. The good Lord has let me stay so long and I enjoy myself all the time.”

Born in Maywood, Glennon’s life could have ended early in the North Pacific Ocean. At just 17, he joined the Navy the day after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Initially wanting to join the Air Force, Glennon found himself in the Navy Air Corps. He trained as a gunner assigned to a PV-1 Ventura, engaging in missions that targeted Japanese forces. These missions occurred every few days for nearly a year.

Eventually, enemy fire took down Glennon’s plane, leaving him and six others in ocean waters off Alaska. Glennon was the last to leave the plane, securing his flotation device, helping five crew members, while one attempted to swim to safety. Fortunately, local fishermen spotted them and, despite worries they wouldn’t reach them all, rescued the men and brought them to their village. They spent four days recuperating before the Navy transported them to a Seattle hospital.

After recovery, Glennon returned to active duty in the South Pacific as a gunnery school instructor. After the war’s end, he returned to Maywood and married Virginia, his waiting fiancée. Soon after, he started his career in education, impacting many as a teacher and principal at Butler Junior High School in Oak Brook. Glennon generally kept his war experiences private, considering the defense of democracy a duty rather than a topic for discussion.

The Glennons enjoyed 75 years of marriage, raising three children and enjoying seven grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren. Eventually, they moved to Prairie Path. After Virginia passed nearly five years ago, Glennon remained active, walking outside daily and participating in various activities available at the senior community.

Family visits frequently, with meals hosted by daughter Adriene every Sunday. Reflecting on the Fourth of July weekend, Glennon stood before his photo at the Wall of Honor, where fellow Navy veterans are commemorated. Despite the significant changes he’s witnessed, Glennon refrains from discussing politics. “My life has been good – I’ve been fortunate. Things were really easier back then … now, I’m just glad to be here.”