{"id":19229,"date":"2020-09-02T11:38:43","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T15:38:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=19229"},"modified":"2020-09-02T11:38:43","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T15:38:43","slug":"batavia-veteran-celebrates-his-106th-birthday-at-the-va","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/09\/02\/batavia-veteran-celebrates-his-106th-birthday-at-the-va\/","title":{"rendered":"BATAVIA\/Veteran celebrates his 106th birthday at the VA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Dr. Maller, Geriatrics Chief, Spruce Lodge\u2019s Mary C. Miller, SW, Richard Cole, son, Sydney and Paulette Welker\/Provided photo\/VA WNY Healthcare System
\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Provided photo\/VA WNY Healthcare System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(Information provided by VA WNY Healthcare System)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World War II Veteran Sydney Cole celebrated his 106th birthday at the Spruce Lodge Community Living Center at the Batavia VA on Tuesday afternoon with a virtual party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family and staff celebrated with a Zoom Birthday party complete with cake, signs and balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Provided photo\/VA WNY Healthcare System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Born in Buffalo in 1914, he was a champion swimmer in high school and was on the U.S. Swim Team. Sydney initially enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force before the United States entered the war and in September 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the 776th Field Artillery Battalion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Provided photo\/VA WNY Healthcare System<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Captain Cole was serving as Chief Forward Aerial Observer when his aircraft was hit by enemy fire. He was shot down on January 2, 1945 over Bastogne, Belgium, during last major German offensive of the war, \u201cThe Battle of the Bulge,\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney battled for survival not only from the enemy, but from cold weather. Suffering serious injuries from shrapnel and ground fire he sustained in the cockpit, with only his parachute available to wrap himself against the bitter sub-zero cold and ward off the winter conditions. He lay unconscious for a few days until the Germans captured him. Before losing consciousness, however, he removed his dog tags that identified him as \u201cH\u201d for Hebrew and threw them into the woods. Had the enemy determined his religious affiliation, he would have been shot on the spot or sent to a concentration camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the beatings and the deprivations he endured as a POW, going from 150 to 80 pounds, he survived the last five months of the war due to his strong will. Sydney kept a positive attitude in the camp and saved many POWs who had almost given up. He was repatriated after the Russian Army took over his POW camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney was discharged from the Army in December 1945. He married his wife Sybil, and has one son, Richard. Sydney was presented with numerous decorations including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and POW Medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He owned and developing several businesses after returning home to Buffalo, including a car dealership, a liquor store, and an athletic club in downtown Buffalo. He was recently inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame and was finally awarded his high school diploma in 2016 from City Honors\/Fosdick Masten school.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney has been a resident at the VA in Batavia for about 5 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Provided photo\/VA WNY Healthcare System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Information provided by VA WNY Healthcare System) World War II Veteran Sydney Cole celebrated his 106th birthday at the Spruce Lodge Community Living Center at the Batavia VA on Tuesday afternoon with a virtual party. Family and staff celebrated with a Zoom Birthday party complete with cake, signs and balloons. \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,23],"tags":[2296,2297],"class_list":["post-19229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-batavia","category-genesee-county","tag-sydney-cole","tag-va-wny-healthcare-system"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-509","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27763,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/09\/01\/batavia-va-wny-healthcare-system-celebrates-resident-sydney-coles-107th-birthday\/","url_meta":{"origin":19229,"position":0},"title":"BATAVIA\/VA WNY Healthcare System Celebrates Resident Sydney Cole\u2019s 107th Birthday","author":"aka","date":"September 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uc3J69q1iGg Video of Captain Sydney Cole's 107th Birthday Celebration Press release BUFFALO, NEW YORK: On Wednesday, September 1st, from 1-3pm, VA Western New York Healthcare System recognized Sydney Cole, Spruce Lodge Community Living Center\u2019s oldest resident, with a special party to celebrate his 107th birthday. The birthday bash for Mr.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/still-sydney.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/still-sydney.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/still-sydney.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21176,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/12\/04\/wny-106-year-old-former-u-s-army-air-corps-captain-re-issued-a-special-membership-award-today-at-the-batavia-va\/","url_meta":{"origin":19229,"position":1},"title":"WNY\/106 year-old former U.S Army Air Corps Captain, re-issued a special membership award today at the Batavia VA","author":"aka","date":"December 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"(Submitted photos and information from VA WNY Healthcare System) \u201cOn January 2, 1945 at 11:00a.m., 2nd Lieutenant Sydney Cole was forced to jump out of his disabled Piper Cub airplane over the skies of Belgium and into German-held territory. He deployed his Irvin backpack-style parachute at an altitude of 1000\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "WNY"","block_context":{"text":"WNY","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/wny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/syd-holding-certificate.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/syd-holding-certificate.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/syd-holding-certificate.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46774,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/09\/08\/batavia-va-wny-healthcare-system-911-remembrance-ceremony-planned\/","url_meta":{"origin":19229,"position":2},"title":"BATAVIA\/VA WNY Healthcare System 911 Remembrance Ceremony planned","author":"aka","date":"September 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"(Provided photo) Press release VA Western New York Healthcare System will host a Remembrance ceremony on the lawn of the Batavia VA Medical Center on Monday September 11th at 11am at 222 Richmond Avenue, Batavia, NY 14020. Welcome remarks - Royce Calhoun Associate Medical Center Director, Commentary \u2013 NYS Senator\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/thumbnail_image002.png?fit=765%2C302&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/thumbnail_image002.png?fit=765%2C302&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/thumbnail_image002.png?fit=765%2C302&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/thumbnail_image002.png?fit=765%2C302&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":68077,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/11\/batavia-911-remembrance-ceremony-at-va-wny-healthcare-system-september-11-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":19229,"position":3},"title":"BATAVIA\/911 Remembrance Ceremony at VA WNY Healthcare System\/September 11, 2025","author":"aka","date":"September 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/9qSXIu67Keo Video of Ceremony held at the Batavia VA Campus at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, September 11, 2025.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/snapshot_001-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/snapshot_001-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/snapshot_001-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/snapshot_001-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/snapshot_001-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37675,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/11\/17\/genesee-county-the-recovery-station-event-highlights-local-veterans-service-organization\/","url_meta":{"origin":19229,"position":4},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/The Recovery Station event highlights local veterans service organization","author":"aka","date":"November 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Pamela Ware, left, meets with Abigail Savage and Eric Krupczyk, representatives of the Batavia VA Medical Center\u2019s PTSD unit, at Wednesday night\u2019s \u201cVeteran Connection\u201d event at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road. 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