WWII Veteran Irving Locker Marks 101st Birthday by Becoming Songwriter

World War II veteran Irving Locker is adding published songwriter to his long list of life accomplishments, as he celebrates his 101st birthday.

On Nov. 7, just one day before turning 101, Locker released “If Freedom Was Free” through CreatiVets and recording label “Big Machine Group,” paying homage to his life experiences and those who served.

“I have to talk about things like that,” he told The Associated Press. “I got nothing to gain. But people have to know and appreciate the fact that they’re living because of men who died. It comes from the heart, not the lips.”

CreatiVets, a Nashville-based non-profit, uses the “power of the arts” to help veterans heal and cope with service-related trauma, while fostering creativity to meet the needs of each individual.

The song, co-written by Texas singer-songwriter Bart Crow and duo Johnny and Heidi Bulford, highlights his driving message to the world with the chorus: “If freedom was free, there wouldn’t be a mountain of metal and men under Normandy.”

Born in the early 1920s, Locker served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was one of the 156,000 soldiers to storm the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

On D-Day, he landed on Utah Beach and later found himself in the Ardennes Forest during the Battle of the Bulge. At age 19, he became staff sergeant with the 116th AAA Gun Battalion of the 1st Army’s 7th Corps. He took part in the liberation of the Gardelegen Concentration Camp in Berlin.

After surviving the unimaginable, Locker created his track with gratitude, describing the opportunity as an “unbelievable thrill.” He notes that the song represents more than himself, and understands how lucky he is to be alive when so many others did not have the same fate.

“To be very honest with you, I was never conscious of God until the war,” he said. “But I came so close to dying that I learned how to thank God and use the simple phrase ‘There but for the grace of God go I.'”

Music remains a pivotal component of Locker’s life, as he attempts to enjoy his years following the war to the fullest. He and his wife, Bernice, have been married for 74 years and, to this day, still go out dancing.

“You should see me on the floor even now,” he quips, adding that the “jitterbug” and “cha-cha” remain their favorite styles of dance.

Locker has recounted his story all over the nation, even being honored by President Donald Trump as a special guest during his second State of the Union address in 2019. He has dedicated his life to educating future generations about the trials, tribulations, and victories of World War II.

“Too many people have no idea what we experienced,” he said in a profile article from Jewish War Veterans U.S.A. “It’s important to me that this story is told after I’m gone, so people don’t forget.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.