A milestone for an Air Force veteran who fought in three major wars.
Col. Vincent Laberge turned 100 years old on Saturday and celebrated in style at a luncheon in Rancho Bernardo, surrounded by family and friends.
Laberge served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and retired after 29 years in the Air Force.
“I have more people here than I know what do to with,” Laberge said on Saturday, “they’re all friends.”
Col. Vincent Laberge was born in San Francisco on June 9th, 1918. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1942 and was sent to pilot training where he eventually became a test pilot, flying planes from Australia to New Guinea. In his 29 year career in the Air Force, he flew over 50 different aircraft.
He later served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Laberge met his wife, an Army nurse, while stationed in the Pacific. The two married in 1944 and had two sons.
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Laberge has spent the last 50 years living in Rancho Bernardo. Once an avid fisherman and hunter, now he now enjoys meeting up with fellow pilots at weekly ‘Bagels and Bologna’ events.
“All in all it’s been a good life,” he said, “I had a wife that looked out for me. Unfortunately, she is gone, but that’s the way it goes. God bless.”
