TYLER, Texas - When Weldon Kenneth Bowen turns 100 on Sept. 5, organizers hope he will be surrounded by a special kind of celebration: 100 birthday cards from people across Texas.

Bowen, a resident of the Watkins-Logan Texas State Veterans Home, is taking part in the Veterans Land Board's "100 for 100" program, which brings communities together to honor veterans reaching their centennial birthdays.

Born in Luling, Bowen joined the U.S. Marine Corps after high school on Aug. 3, 1945. He completed basic training and later served at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, during the final months of World War II. Bowen was honorably discharged in August 1946. His military honors include the Good Conduct Medal and Expert Rifleman recognition.