Louisville WWII veteran jumps out of plane to celebrate 100th birthday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville veteran jumped out of a plane to celebrate his 100th birthday, and it wasn't his first time doing it.

Lee Smith went skydiving in Elizabethtown last week, with his family watching from the ground.

The World War II veteran was part of the Army Air Cops in the 1940s and despite all his training to jump out of a plane, he never got to actually do it.

So, he's making up for lost time.

"I think people are pretty accurate, they think I lost my mind and maybe I have," Smith told WDRB last month during his actual birthday weekend. "But to me it's enjoyable, I like it. You go way up high, 10,000 plus feet, and you fall out of an airplane."

He decided to start skydiving for his birthday every year, and he has done so every year since he turned 96.

This year, Smith marked the big 100.

His skydiving trip was postponed on his actual birthday in March because of strong winds, so he jumped last week instead.

"My attitude is if something happens, who cares? You've done it, you've seen it, there's not much left to do," he said.

Smith said never say never, he said he might go skydiving again to celebrate his 200th birthday.

Previous Coverage:

Louisville WWII veteran turns 100, plans to celebrate birthday by jumping out of plane

Louisville WWII veteran gearing up to celebrate 98th birthday daredevil-style