SAN ANTONIO — "What makes you happy about today?"
"Mooore than I can tell you," Rodriguez emphasized with a big smile. "It seems like the world has come down to meet me. I am so happy."
"They're making a big fuss about him today so he likes that," his youngest son said as they laughed.
A special birthday celebration was held Thursday for World War II Veteran Augustine (Tino) Rodriguez Jr. as he turned the big 104!
Rodriguez was born on Oct. 17, 1920, in San Antonio and when he was just 24-years-old, he had two children at home when he went off to fight for our country.
Rodriguez was too emotional to talk about his D-Day experience but his son explained that due to inclement weather, he missed the invasion by one day and was called in as a replacement for those who didn't make it. By the end of the war, he had fought his way to Berlin.
When asked what he remembers about his birthdays, Rodriguez explained his beliefs in his Indian heritage and where he believes he was born.
"He believes, because of he comes from an Indian background, the Indians would stay behind the Alamo and that's where he was born. That's what he's been believing for awhile now," his son said.
His son went on to explain that he was really born in San Antonio in 1920 and is the oldest of six children, two of which are still alive and well into their 90's.
After serving in the military, Rodriguez also worked as a mechanic, plumber and volunteered with the boy scouts.
Rodriquez's son reflected on what he remembers about his father when he was younger.
"He was always there at any activity I had whether it was at school, cub scouts, boy scouts and he introduced me to trap and skeet... which is now one of my favorite things."
Rodriguez didn't seem to have any advise or secrets to living a long life, but his son spilled the beans on a remedy Rodriguez would use up until recently.
"Well until recently, he always took a shot of tequila every morning," which caused a shocked face from Rodriguez, followed by a sly smile.