Tom Streicher at his home in Cranberry Township. Submitted photo

From burrowing into foxholes during the infamous Battle of the Bulge to relaxing card nights with friends, Tom Streicher has experienced a little bit of everything through nearly a century of a life.

At 99 years old, Streicher is among the estimated 66,143 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II who are still around to tell their stories today.

“I owe it all to God,” he said. “He’s the one that keeps me here and gets me through the day.”

Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at just 17 years old, before spending 30 months in the military, 20 of those being logged overseas fighting against the Axis powers of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

During that time, Streicher, who was part of the 78th Infantry Division, fought valiantly in the Battle of the Bulge, which broke out in the Ardennes region of Belgium, Luxembourg and France and lasted from Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 25, 1945.

Despite losing more than 81,000 troops, including 19,000 American soldiers, the Allies prevailed in what was the last major German offensive of the war.

“The first day we went into battle was a cold, wintry day,” he recalled. “Of course, seeing one of my comrades killed right away will never leave my mind, and seeing some other people from my unit killed will always be with me.”

World War II veteran Tom Streicher during his time in the U.S. Army. Submitted photo

A few months later, Streicher was wounded and was honored with a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Combat Infantry Badge, a prestigious award given to men involved in ground combat operations.

With each Memorial Day that passes, Streicher said he finds himself reflecting on the men who laid it all on the line to ensure victory.

“The real heroes of the war are the ones that went over there and gave their lives up for a cause and didn’t come back,” he said. “I remember them well because they made the supreme sacrifice.”

Soon after leaving the front lines, he returned home to Beaver County, where he worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and went to business school.

Not long after, he met his wife, Gladys, on a blind date. The pair married in 1949 and had three children named Tommy, Raymond and Jean.

After retiring from the workforce in 1988, Streicher has enjoyed seeing his family tree expand, becoming a grandfather of four and a great-grandfather of six.

He lost the love of his life in 2010 after 61 years together. But instead of allowing that loss to potentially cripple his spirit, Streicher continued to remain active in various organizations.

He’s been a decades-long member of Beaver County’s Conway VFW Post #6713 and the Knights of Columbus, both of which have kept him active in the community.

“I had to stay involved,” he said. “If I came home here and sat on the couch after Gladys died, I would have been gone long ago.”

Streicher also noted that one of his greatest blessings has been the friendships and community he’s found at Divine Grace Parish’s Saint Ferdinand Church in Cranberry Township, where he has been a devoted member since 1993.

“My biggest support group right now is St. Ferdinand’s Church,” he said. “That’s where I have a lot of people that give me emotional support.

In recent years, Streicher moved into an apartment in Cranberry Township and still lives alone with some help from his daughter, Jean.

“I’ve been so fortunate,” he said. “God has helped keep my mind clear, my body fairly strong and my outlook positive.”

He was recently invited to a special veteran’s event on June 6 at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, hosted by former Pittsburgh Steelers legend Rocky Bleier.

Dubbed “Rocky Bleier’s Roll Call for the Greatest Generation,” the event will honor World War II centenarian veterans from Western Pennsylvania and celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday.

For a lifelong Pittsburgh sports fan, it’s a can’t-miss opportunity that has him counting down the days.

“That’s going to be terrific, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Of course, there’s going to be other World War II veterans there I’m going to meet, which is great.”

Streicher will turn 100 in January, but he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon, crediting his family and Catholic faith for everything that life has provided.

“My faith is everything to me,” he said. “It keeps me going every day. About 20 times a day, I thank Jesus for doing things for me. I know that’s why I’m here because he hasn’t called me yet. I couldn’t live without it.”