Staff photo by Fritz Busch World War II veteran Mervin “Butch” Jones holds his U.S. Navy photo. Jones celebrated his 100th birthday Feb. 17 with dozens of his family, friends and Cambria Legion Post 329 members at Woodstone Senior Living Center, New Ulm. Submitted photograph Mervin “Butch” Jones of Cambria is pictured above wearing his U.S. Navy dress white uniform 80 years ago.

NEW ULM — To say the least, rural Cambria native and World War II veteran Mervin “Butch” Jones has overcome many obstacles in his life.

Jones celebrated his 100th birthday Feb. 17 with dozens of family, friends and Cambria American Legion Post 329 members at Woodstone Senior Living Center.

He joined the Cambria American Legion 80 years ago and is believed to be one of the longest serving American Legion members in Minnesota.

Perhaps his longevity can be attributed to his diet.

“He drank Dr. Pepper soda and ate ice cream every night. His favorite ice cream is maple nut,” said Jones’ daughter Vickie Jones Randall of Cambria.

He’s been a big farmer all his life, except for his U.S. Navy time during World War II.

“He came home after the War because his dad (Othniel Jones) wanted him to help farm,” said Randall.

Perhaps it’s his work ethic that keeps him going.

“I milked 18 cows by hand before school, went to school, then came home and milked them again,” said Jones.

Corn, beans, and oats were produced and pigs and chickens were raised on the family farm.

“I was 17 and was going to be drafted, so I joined the Navy in 1943,” he said.

Jones became a U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate and was ordered to serve on the USS Waterman (DE-740), a destroyer escort in service with the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946.

He served on the ship for about 18 months including the worst weather of its career. For about 36 hours beginning Dec. 18, 1944, Typhoon Cobra battered the Waterman and the rest of Admiral William Frederick “Bull” Halsey’s fleet with up to 140 mph winds and waves up to 80 feet high.

The ship rolled as much as 65 degrees in the storm.

The typhoon sunk three U.S. ships and damaged others.

Jones was featured in a story about his wartime service in a Dec. 6, 2018 story written by Karen Fluegge in the Lafayette Nicollet Ledger.

“The waves were 60 to 80 feet high for about two days and two nights. We would go up on the swells, then plunge under the water. Other times, the ship would roll so much, we were almost all the way on our side. We felt like it was going to sink,” Jones said in the story.

He said many sailors strapped themselves to their beds and didn’t eat for days because they couldn’t get up to get any food.

“Many soldiers got sick but I never did. Many ships were blown off course. Our ship ended up on the Japanese coastline. We were really lucky to survive that storm. We took many prisoners of war home. Many had missing arms or legs,” Jones said in the story.

The Waterman received eight battle stars for her World War II service.

Jones came home after the war and married DeLoris Berg of New Ulm. Many of his medals and photos from WWII were displayed at the Pereri Bach Saloon and Grill in Cambria.