100-Year-Old Battle of Iwo Jima Survivor Surprised With Tribute on Flight

It's not every day that you meet someone with direct ties to major historical events like WWII or the Holocaust, but if you did, I imagine it would be truly humbling. A group of passengers on a flight got to experience that firsthand when they learned they were traveling with a Battle of Iwo Jima survivor — yes, someone who fought in that tragic WWII battle.

His name is Gordy and he celebrated his 100th birthday in February 2025. TikToker @kaitsy_baker shared a video of a flight attendant honoring Gordy, and honestly, it was a beautiful moment. Here's how it went down.

I don't know Kaitsy from a stranger on the street, but I'm officially giving her an award for having the coolest grandpa ever! In a TikTok shared on April 5, 2025, Kaitsy shows her grandpa sitting in a seat aboard a flight.

Moments later, a flight attendant gets on the microphone to recognize this man for his bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to his country. Why? Because Kaitsy's grandfather is a Battle of Iwo Jima survivor!

For context, the Battle of Iwo Jima occurred after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor (and if that scene with Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck teaming up fills your mind, you're not alone). The attack led to the U.S. declaring war on Japan, but the U.S. needed Iwo Jima to serve as a base to launch attacks on Japan.

So, it invaded the island (successfully), which played a key role in weakening Japan's war effort.

Anyway, back to the moving moment! So, the flight attendant begins his announcement with, "We don't have royalty in the United States, but we sure have something close, and he's sitting in Row 1." He continues, "We have a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima aboard — Gordy is 100 years old. He landed on Iwo Jima on his 20th birthday."

A teary-eyed Gordy then takes off his hat in respect for the honor while the plane breaks out in applause. The flight attendant then proceeds to thank Gordy and inform the passengers that if it weren’t for him, "we wouldn’t be here."

A fellow passenger then asks Gordy when his birthday was, to which he replies, Feb. 19th — the very day the Battle of Iwo Jima began.

The video has obviously caught major attention, garnering 12 million likes and over 500,000 saves. Gordy was clearly moved by the announcement, but even more people are moved by the fact that they had the pleasure of witnessing this, some in person and many on social media.

Kaitsy is obviously very proud of her grandpa, and rightfully so. She shared in the caption for her video, "So honored and proud to call him my Grandpa," adding, "I’m so lucky to have an extraordinary man like him in my life."

While much of Kaitsy's content centers around her fitness routines, dating life, and the beach, I think we can all agree, after seeing Gordy, we want more!

And perhaps we might get just that. A commenter pointed out that her grandpa had just celebrated his 100th birthday on Feb. 17th and, ironically, fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. The commenter dropped his name, hoping Gordy and her grandpa might know each other, or at the very least, swap stories.

Commenters are eagerly hoping that if they do connect, Kaitsy will keep us updated on TikTok!