Square dancing, fly fishing and WWII: 99-year-old Pace man longs to see Allegheny Mountains

Square dancing was always a love for 99-year-old Pace resident Tom Palmer, so it's fitting that's how he met his wife, Diane. But he also has a passion for the outdoors, which is why he and Diane spent years traveling throughout the western United States.

Palmer's century-long life has been so filled with work and fun with Diane that he often doesn't put a lot of stock in the three-year period from 1943 to 1946 when he served the Navy during World War II.

"I don't think that we're very unique myself," Palmer said. "There's a lot of them out here ... so I don't figure myself as unique."

Palmer was one of 11.5 million people drafted into the military between 1941 and 1945, according to the National WWII Museum, but he says that he didn't do anything "heroic," he just did "what everyone else was doing."

"I just lived longer than them," he said.

Palmer was drafted to serve in the U.S. military while he was still in high school, but they allowed him finish before enlisting. The day after his high school graduation in 1943, he hopped on a bus to San Francisco and then took a train to Idaho to begin boot camp.

Palmer spent most of his time on the USS Prince Georges, a ship that primarily transported personnel and weaponry. According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the Prince Georges embarked on numerous operations including to the Battle of Tarawa, the Battle of Kwajalein and the invasion of Saipan.

Despite spending his first three years after high school on the Prince Georges, the former petty officer 2nd class reminisces on the glorious years after the war he spent learning the electric trade and and trying to grow as an adult, saying he was still a kid but "just didn't know it."

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"I did various jobs, got good jobs and changed and quit them, but I still hadn't grown up yet," Palmer said. "I hopped around until I got into the electrical trade, and the last 30 to 40 years (of my career) I pursued the electrical trade."

He worked his way up from a lineman to an industrial electrician where he finished his career at an aluminum reduction plant in Ferndale, Washington.

After a first marriage that "didn't work out," Palmer says his fond memories of traveling began after meeting Diane at the age of 69 while they were square dancing. Many dances and good memories later, they were married a year later in 1994.

"One year to the day," Diane Palmer said. "We've been married 30 (years). I figured we were married that whole year we first met.

"I quit my job and we started traveling together," she added.

That began their extensive RV travel all across the the western U.S., including Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, California, Arizona and New Mexico.

Among those places, the Palmers never stayed away from Idaho Falls, Idaho, for too long. The city hugs the Snake River and isn't too far from Yellowstone National Park, where they both worked during the summers for five years.

Idaho Falls also brought Tom what Diane says is "his first love besides his wife" − fly fishing.

"I was a fly fisherman, and my wife was very good about going along with me," Tom said as he chuckled. "She went right along with me in the outdoors."

After spending much of their lives on the west coast and much of their marriage in Idaho, health complications brought them to Pace in 2019 and ended their times of constant travel. Not being able to travel hasn't kept the nearly 100-year-old from dreaming, or maintaining a bucket list, however.

With the many years of travel behind them, there's still one place Tom wants to see − the Allegheny Mountains.

"From what I understand, the Alleghenies are just as beautiful (as the mountains in Idaho), but I've never been there, which I want to do," he said. "That was one trip we wanted to make we never did."

Even though their traveling days are behind them, Tom says he's not "giving up" by complaining or looking at the downside of his situation, saying it's only natural for "your capabilities to be reduced" as you age.

"You have to keep this going," he said as he pointed to his head. "There's nothing to be gained by sitting back with self pity. I like to keep a positive attitude."

In the foreseeable future, Tom plans on sitting back and watching birds fly from his back porch and keeping his mind sharp as he gears up for his 100th birthday in June, but most importantly he plans to continue spending time with his wife.

"We were just meant to be together," he said.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace, Florida World War II vet keeps mind strong, continues dreaming