WWII veteran Gideon Kantor celebrates 100th birthday with fellow vets

GARRETT PARK, Md. (7News) — Gideon Kantor, a World War II veteran, celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday with a party at the Garrett Park Town Hall.

Friends, family, and two fellow World War II veterans were in attendance.

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Kantor's remarkable life journey began when he fled Nazi Austria as a teenager, eventually making his way to New York City. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and participated in the Normandy landings, fighting through to Czechoslovakia. Kantor earned five battle stars and played a role in liberating a concentration camp with the 4th Armored Division.

In addition to his military service, Kantor was a member of the Ritchie Boys, a group known for their intelligence work during the war. Fluent in three languages, he utilized the G.I. Bill to complete his college education, ultimately earning a Ph.D.

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After his military service, Kantor dedicated himself to public service in the Washington, D.C., area and later became a professor at Catholic University.