World War II veteran enjoys cupcakes and jokes on his 104th birthday

A World War II veteran in Bradenton, Fla., enjoyed reaching a milestone Thursday surrounded by those who love him.

US Air Force WWII veteran Jules Hagen turned 104 and his birthday celebration included singing, lots of laughter and cupcakes, 11 Alive reported.

Hagen grew up in Indiana during the Great Depression and his father made sure his son understood that you had to work hard to get ahead in life, telling him to get up at 6 a.m. and work until noon.

During the war, Hagen was a command engineer stationed in England. His job was to ensure that B-17 bombers and pilots were ready to fight the enemy.

World War II, which began in 1939 and ended in 1945, is known as “the deadliest and most destructive war in history,” according to the National World War II Museum’s website:

Before the war, Germany, America and the rest of the world were going through the Great Depression. The economy was very bad, unemployment was at an all-time high, and massive inflation was causing money to lose value. More than fifty countries around the world were fighting, with more than 100 million troops deployed. Countries like America and Britain were among the Allied Powers. Japan and Germany were among the Axis powers.

When the war ended, Hagen worked as a lawyer and also became a husband and father. His advice to the younger generation is to face challenges head on.

“I think I was raised to believe that the way to live is to work. You have to work. You have to plan,” he said.