Four 100-Year-Old WWII Veterans Honored With Coin Toss At 2020 Superbowl

Feb 03, 2020 by apost team

This year, NFL honored four centenarians for their service in WWII by including them in the opening coin flip for the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers at the 54th Superbowl.

Although the 49ers won the toss, the opted to defer with the Kansas Chiefs taking the ball to start the game instead.

Holly Rotondi, executive director of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial, praised the move.


“By honoring these four veterans at the championship game, the league is preserving the national memory of the Greatest Generation and World War II,’’ she said, as per FOX news.

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The Four Veterans

  1. Samuel Lombardo - Lombardo fought in the Battle of the Bulge as well as other major operations towards the end of WWII. He served as a rifle platoon leader and additionally as a company executive officer.

  2. Charles McGee - Charles McGee not only served in Europe during WWII, but he also went on to fight in Vietnam and Korea as well. McGee flew 136 combat missions in WWII and is recognized for freeing over 1,000 prisoners of war in Romania. 

  3. Odon Cardenas - This brave veteran fought under General George Patton in France and Germany as part of the third army. Cardenas was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war before being rescued.

  4. Sidney Walton - When Walton was enlisted to serve during WWII, he stated he desired to take down Adolf Hitler. He fought in India, China and Burma. He and his son now tour the USA in order to raise awareness of the declining number in WWII veterans and to remember their great sacrifices for their country.

The NFL invited the four veterans in honor of their service to the US as well as to celebrate the 100th season of the NFL. 

“It was quite a thrill to be asked,’’ McGee told reporters. “I couldn’t say no.’’

The 100-year-old veteran then added he “just hopes for a good game” and was “looking forward to seeing the coin and then seeing the game.’’

What do you think about the centenarians being honored at this year’s Superbowl? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!