---
title: "99-year-old WWII veteran honored at Grand Ole Opry’s 99th birthday celebration"
date: "2024-10-26"
modified: "2024-10-26"
authors:
  - name: "Kait Hanson"
    job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Spouse"
    link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/kaitlynhanson/"
url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/99-year-old-wwii-veteran-honored-at-grand-ole-oprys-99th-birthday-celebration/"
categories:
  - "Featured"
  - "Heroes"
  - "History"
  - "War History"
  - "World War II"
---

# 99-year-old WWII veteran honored at Grand Ole Opry’s 99th birthday celebration

![Bill Allen honored at the Grand Ole Opry on stage](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-26-at-5.35.24-PM.png>)
*Screen capture, You Tube.*

A World War II veteran in Tennessee brought a Grand Ole Opry audience to their feet for a standing ovation – but not because he was performing.

99-year-old Bill Allen, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native, was honored as part of the Grand Ole Opry’s 99th birthday celebration earlier this month. Allen was a 19-year-old medic in the Navy on D-Day.

His ship was anchored off the shore of Omaha Beach when it hit a mine and was split in half. Allen was able to jump onto a raft where he pulled four others, two who were critically wounded, out of the water. Only 28 of the 145 crew members survived.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rZVtYhx4o8

As part of the Opry’s birthday celebration, Humana, along with Growing Bolder, recognized older adults with a special exhibit: [The New 65+](<https://growingbolder.com/new65plus/>) and Allen served as the special guest and was recognized on stage during the Opry show, which included performances by The Gatlin Brothers and Katharine McPhee.

In June 2024 – to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day – Allen was honored for his bravery at the Nashville Sounds game.

"Our freedom is the highest-priced thing this nation has ever bought," Allen [said in June](<https://www.newschannel5.com/news/99-year-old-wwii-veteran-who-fought-in-d-day-honored-at-nashville-sounds-game>). “I saw foot soldiers with those heavy packs go down that ramp, lose their footing, then drown right there at the end. I saw other foot soldiers made it down to the ramp, wade in the water, got to the beach, step on a landmine. Life was over."

Despite it all, Allen remains humble and honored to have served.

“He doesn’t consider himself a hero,” Allen's daughter Patti Hutchinson told News Channel 5 Nashville. “He thinks that the heroes are still back at the American Cemetery.”

## Author
Kait Hanson is a Hawaii-based writer and photographer. Her work has been featured by Military Spouse Magazine, Coastal Living, Frommer's, Fodor's Travel, Jetstar Magazine, [TODAY.com](<https://today.com/>) and more. She is also the creative stylist behind her award-winning lifestyle website, CommuniKait. When she's not traveling, Kait enjoys spending time with her husband and two chocolate Labs, trying out new recipes or relaxing at the beach with a good book.