By David Fleet
Editor
Brandon Twp.— It’s a Wednesday night at the Boat Bar and Herb ‘The Hammer’ Leon meticulously chalks up one of two custom pool cues and eyes nine balls racked in a diamond shaped on the green felt table.
“I love nine ball or eight ball,” said Herb, focusing on the upcoming break. “I played pool as a kid, when and wherever I could.”
Herb’s a regular at Boat Bar’s Hooterville 9-Ball where he throws back a cold beer, snags a loaded burger and chats with a host of friends. While the Groveland Township resident may not ‘crack-the-rack’ like he once did, there’s a good chance he tops his competition by decades in experience.
On May 2, Herb, a WWII veteran will turn 99-years-old.
“I made it to 99-years-old by luck,” laughed Herb, as he polished off a cold long neck beer. “I don’t exercise, I don’t smoke either. No special diets, just eat all I can. I do stay active, a lot of playing pool, still love this game.”
Named after the President Herbert Hoover, Herb was born in Detroit on May 2, 1924 the youngest of three boys and one daughter of Laura and Joesph. The family lived in Highland Park where he also attended high school.
“It was a pretty rough area to grow up in,” said Leon. “I had to just watch myself all the time in the neighborhood.”
The WWII draft began in October 1940, with the first men entering military service on Nov. 18. Herb’s older brothers Theodore and Salvador were drafted in the Army followed by Herb as the war efforts in United States ramp up. By the early summer of 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked the U.S. Congress to extend the term of duty for the draftees beyond 12 months to a total of 30 months, plus any additional time that he could deem necessary for national security.
Herb was with one of the U.S. Divisions to land on Omaha Beach, the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings World War II..
“The first time I saw action was the Beaches of Normady,” recalled Herb. “It’s hard to remember everything after all those years. What you don’t forget is when they drop that big door toward the beach.”
Herb returned home to Detroit and was later employed by General Motors.
“I made an agreement with the good Lord if they brought me home that would be the last I would ever go overseas,” he said. “I’ve never been back.”
After the service, Herb married Sandy in 1960. Herb had a son, Brian then together the couple had three children Gino, Dino and Gia. The couple moved to Algonac, Mich. where they raised their family. He made the 50 mile drive to Warren for work each day for many years.
Herb purchased General Motor’s Balance Engineering company and eventuality moved to Groveland Township about 25 years ago where he retired.
“I worked hard my whole life,” he said. “Stayed active and just kept talking to people.”
Sandy died in 2012 after 50 years of marriage. Since her death more than 10 years ago, Sandy’s sister, Phillis has called Herb every night at 7 p.m. just to say “I love you.”
Herb never wore glasses and renewed his drivers license in 2022, which remains valid until 2026 when he turns 102-years-old.
“I still own a car,” he said.
Herb takes no medication, can’t recall the last time he was sick and does not even have a doctor.
“I’m very healthy,” he said. “It runs in the family.”
Herb’s mother Laura, lived to 99 and six months while sister Nancy was 99 and three months.
“Nancy never took a pill, or was sick,” recalled Herb’s daughter Gia. “She had a cocktail each night and quit smoking when she was 85-years-old.”
Herb has no regrets in life. He loved working for a half of century and would go back in a minute if they’d take him.
“I guess I’m too old to go back,” he said. “Staying happy is the way to live. Things are going to bother you at some point in life but just don’t let it be too much.”
Herb currently has 16 grand children.