HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Earl Deuels was a flight engineer who served during World War II as a part of the U.S. Navy in 1945.

“I was stationed in Guantanamo Bay,” Deuels said. “We were chasing and looking for German subs.”

The father of four lives in Huntsville, and spent his early years fixing planes for pilots in the war and once he retired — he became an aeronautical engineer with Wernher Von Braun and NASA.

“Daddy was an aeronautical engineer for NASA for 25 years and he would draw up the plans with his group,” said Margaret Traglia, Deuels’ daughter. “He worked for the Von Braun group to put the missiles up in the air [and] put the black boxes in the missiles.”

November is as good a time as any to acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices our military families make. To celebrate Deuels’ birthday, his children came to visit and to their surprise, a local Meals on Wheels representative delivered him a cake.

“As soon as he told me he was turning 99 and as soon as he started telling me his stories, I was like we need help him celebrate and, of course, he started to say if I make it, but his personality was very fun and I said we [have to] do something for him,” said Michelle McCrady and Carol McCrady Rasponi of Meals on Wheels.

Deuels said while he is enjoying turning 99, he’s already looking forward to 100.