World War II veteran “Bazooka” Joe Pietroforte may have turned 107 years old in February, but he has no intention of leaving the dance floor.
Once a week, Pietroforte will go dancing at a local bar in the Los Angeles area, swiveling his century-old hips to the same tunes he enjoyed in the 1940s, big band and swing.
Back then, Pietroforte didn’t have much time for dancing; he was busy trying to save the free world, earning accolades for valor as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. At 22, he was drafted, finished basic training and was shipped overseas to fight in the European theater.
“I went over on the Queen Mary,” Pietroforte told CBS News, Los Angeles. “They shipped us up to an area outside of Aachen, Germany and Belgium.”
An infantryman, it didn’t take long for “Bazooka” Joe to earn his nickname. He was one of thousands of Allied soldiers called upon for the pivotal Battle of the Bulge in the bitterly cold winter of 1944-45.
“At that time, they had me using a rocket launcher, which is 53 inches long, and the rocket was about two feet long, almost,” Pietroforte said. “I would carry three rockets, with about 40 pounds on my back … and I weighed at the time about 114 pounds.”
Facing heavy fire, Pietroforte made good use of his rocket launcher, eliminating two German tanks and saving his unit from extensive casualties.
“Oh yeah, that’s how I got the Silver Star,” he said. “I also got one outside of Frankfurt, Germany. I had an assistant, he put the rocket in the launcher, I aimed it and fired it at the tank.”
The battle turned the tide for Allied forces in Europe, crippling Adolph Hitler’s last stand, eventually leading to the liberation of Berlin in April 1945. The war officially ended on Sept. 2, when the Japanese surrendered in Tokyo Bay.
Dancing and Staying Active
Following the war, Pietroforte came home, settling in California’s San Fernando Valley.
He married, raised a family, and started the popular Victory Drive-In movie theatres in North Hollywood, which operated from 1949 to 1977.
Pietroforte also loved restoring classic cars. He’s always tried to stay active, keeping his mind and body sharp.
On March 26, “Bazooka” Joe received quite an honor with a standing ovation before the L.A. Dodgers faced the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium.
While he enjoys baseball, Pietroforte’s real passion is swing dancing. He’s often accompanied by a close female friend who keeps him moving even at age 107.
“She’s a terrific dancer and very smart,” Pietroforte said. “A very smart girl.”
Pietroforte credits his devoted dance partner for keeping him active and still rolling well into his 10th century.
“I’m here today because of her,” he said. “Otherwise, I would have been dead a few years ago.”
And the World War II veteran has no plans of slowing down. After all, he has a rigorous dance schedule to keep up with.
“Yeah, we’re going out Friday night,” Pietroforte said. “We’re going dancing.”
