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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Lifestyle
Nathan Solis

Labeled a mutineer during WWII, this 101-year-old Black soldier went on to the stars

James I Chicago

LOS ANGELES -- Bernard Benedict James had news for the caller, who rang the retired aerospace engineer with birthday wishes this week.

"One hundred one is a prime number, as we say in mathematics," James said with a chuckle. A piece of chocolate cake with mounds of white frosting waited on a nearby table. He paused for a beat and continued, dead serious, "The first 100 years are the hardest."

The stocky, white-haired centenarian in dress shirt and wheelchair laughed and laughed. On Monday, James turned 101.

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