Little River man just turned 109. He’s believed to be oldest WWII vet in SC

Augustine “Gus” Preno, believed to be the oldest living World War II veteran in South Carolina, was celebrated Monday at the River Park Senior Living Center in Little River.

A birthday parade for the 109-year old man was organized by Mission BBQ and the VFW Post 10804. It was held in front of the center with hundreds passing on motorcycles, trucks, on floats, and even in a classic Army Jeep to pay tribute to “Mr. Gus” who sat with family and friends, waving as each passed.

Patriotic music blared from speakers, bagpipes were played and dozens of American flags fluttered in the breeze.

Preno’s eyes were bright and shiny as he watched the spectacle held in his honor.

“I’m fascinated - I can’t believe it,” he said, “I can’t believe this is happening.”

After the parade, members of the community - many from veteran’s organization from across the Grand Strand, lined up to give Preno tokens of their respect, including challenge coins, and hand-made blankets.

Preno, who was born on April 13, 1917, was a sailor aboard the USS Melville, a destroyer tender, during the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He would have been 27-years-old when U.S. troops stormed the beaches.

That event happened over 80 years ago, more than most people’s lifetime, but in a 2025 interview with MyHorryNews the centurion seemed to recall it clearly,

“You couldn’t see the sky,” Preno is reported saying. “Hundreds of planes. ... It was exciting but it was unbelievable. I didn’t think they could pull off something like this. It was so big. It took a long time to plan all this stuff.”

According to his son, Steve, his father lived in the Philadelphia area and worked for the AAA for 50 years after the war. He was married to his wife, Mary, whom he met on a blind date during wartime leave to New York City. The couple were married for 69 years. They had two children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

“Dad was always pretty stoic,” Steve Preno said. “His attitude was always move forward, no excuses, just get the job done.”

His daughter Chris Stanton said that her father was a people person, but that “his family was always the most important thing to him.”

At age 109, Preno has lived through The Great Depression, several U.S. conflicts, the assassination of JFK, the Space Race, the Civil Rights Movement, the invention of the internet and the inaugurations of 18 U.S. presidents.

So what wisdom did he wish to share? On Monday he leaned forward in his chair and said simply, “Love the country you are living in. Love it dearly and never hurt it.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 3:44 PM.