Lawrence Brooks will celebrate his 111 birthday on September 12, 2020 (Credit: nationalww2museum.org)

When the United States formally entered World War II — the six-year-long global conflict that began in 1939 with Nazi Germany's attack on Poland — in 1941, millions of brave Americans helped to fight for the cause. Among them was New Orleans resident Lawrence Brooks, who served the country for five years as a soldier in the US Army's 91st Engineer Battalion. Fortunately for us, Brooks, who will celebrate his 111th birthday on September 12, 2020, is still around to share his exciting encounters.