PEABODY — They just don’t make ’em like they used to.
Whoever coined that cliche must have had Theodore “Ted” Lazarakis in mind, who celebrated his 103rd birthday this month.
Not only is he the oldest military veteran living in Peabody, he is also setting a record of sorts as one of approximately 300,000 World War II veterans still alive, and still able to talk about it.
“Being the oldest veteran is Peabody is something I feel very good about and kind of proud. I served for 4 1/2 years and was wounded twice, so I consider myself lucky to make it to 103,” Lazarakis said.
“Ted is near and dear to our hearts,” said Peabody Veterans Affairs Director Steve Patten. “Ted is a great American. Despite his small stature, Ted stood tall and put his life on the line so that the world could be free from tyranny. He was brave and ran toward danger. Less than one percent of Americans serve in the armed forces. Ted did so with distinction. They don’t hand out Purple Hearts. You have to earn it through personal sacrifice.”
Lazarakis earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for heroism after being injured by German shrapnel in Faymonville, Belgium in January, 1945 at the Battle of the Bulge, one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The 27-year old fought through his injury, evacuating fellow squad members before being taken to a Belgium hospital, where he spent one month recovering. A 1987 issue of “The Bulge Bugle,” the official publication of Battle of the Bulge veterans, reported that more than half of Lazarakis’ company, known as “The Big Red One,” (Company B, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division) were either killed or injured.
Two months after rejoining his company, Lazarakis was injured in April, earning an oak leaf cluster (equivalent to a second Purple Heart) before being discharged on July 24, 1945.
“He recovered both times and went back to his original unit, which is the way The Big Red One operates,” his nephew Nick Lazarakis said. “They wanted to reassign him, but he wouldn’t allow it. I think he nearly ended up in the brig.”
The Newark N.J. native was drafted at the age of 23 in 1941 and sent to Fort Bragg, N.C. for a one-year tour. After Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941, Lazarakis was shipped to Patterson, N.J. and then to Iceland, where he initially worked as an artillery guard.
“He told me that out of the blue one day someone came up to him and asked him if he really enjoyed standing around all day, so he was eventually convinced to go to military cooking school,” Nick said.
After being discharged, Lazarakis returned home and purchased the Parkview Luncheonette near Lynn Common, serving three shifts of General Electric employees. At his side was his wife of more than 50 years, Lillian, who died in 2007.
Patten said that Lazarakis is “wisdom personified.
“All combat veterans have their stories, yet real heroes like Ted can walk past you on the street and you’d never know it,” he said. “They don’t ask for anything, but they’d do it all over again without hesitation. That’s who Ted is to me.
“He is one of our city’s treasures. I don’t care who you are, if you spend some time with Ted you’re guaranteed to learn something.”
Nick Lazaraki said family members marked the Sept. 2 birthday with cake and Lazarakis’ favorite meal — stuffed chicken breast with mashed potatoes and squash from the Century House.
“We celebrated in shifts because of the virus,” said Nick. “It was small, but he was really happy.”
Until recently, Lazarakis was still driving, having renewed his license last year.
All his nephew could say was “what else would you expect of the greatest generation of all time?”
Lazarakis isn’t the only member of his family to hit the century mark.
“My mother lived to 101, so I guess I come from good genes,” he said. “I feel good, actually great, and my senses are pretty much okay, so it’s all good!”
