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Ex-POW from World War II celebrates 100th birthday — VIDEO

Ex-POW Vince Shank celebrated his 100th birthday Monday with family, friends and Clark County firefighters who showed up to light the candles on his cake.

Vince, an ex-POW from World War II and longtime Strip trumpeter, endured a lot to become a centenarian.

A B-17 he was a bombardier in was shot down over Sicily in 1943. After bailing out and spending 22 months prisoner-of-war camps, he was liberated from Hitler’s Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany, by Gen. George S. Patton’s 14th Armored Division.

Later he played his trumpet in bands for the Rat Pack at casinos on the Strip.

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