TORRINGTON – A former Torrington resident is set to be honored at the upcoming Windsor Harvest Festival Parade in Windsor, Colorado this Labor Day Weekend.

Along with being escorted by the local police, John Green will be honored by sitting first and foremost on the parade’s Veteran float, and will be the oldest living U.S. Veteran present at the event.

Green was born in Torrington in 1932, where he attended school in Yoder. He would later serve during the Korean War in the 1950’s where he was stationed for a time in Guam. 

It should be further noted that Green’s older brother was stationed in Hawaii, and was present during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Green joked about growing up in Torrington while attending school in Yoder. Despite completing auctioneering school in Missouri later on, school in Yoder was not high on the Veteran’s priority list at the time.

“I really didn’t care too much for school, and quit in the ninth grade,” Green laughed. “Then, I joined the Navy and was sent to Guam.” 

Green, who is currently hearing impaired, kept the humor alive by joking that being stationed in Guam, and working on a U.S. Navy ship is when his hearing troubles began.

“When I first got to Guam, I would work on the ship’s repair,” Green said looking back. “The ship needed so much electricity that there wasn’t enough on the deck. They started up these high pitched motors and they didn’t have earplugs back then. That’s when I began to lose my hearing, and now I’m deafer than a fencepost.”

After later discharging from the U.S. Navy, Green would later go on to work successfully as an auctioneer and insurance agent, until realizing his dream of owning and operating his own farm until retirement.

Green is a devout Christian with a strong passion for storytelling. He has been married to his wife, Roberta, of 67 years and has raised four daughters with his oldest currently residing in Cheyenne.

Although Green currently resides in Colorado and has been away from Torrington for quite some time, the 91 year old Veteran still speaks highly of the people of Goshen County.

“I’ve always wanted to come back and visit, particularly Hawk Springs,” Green said. “The people there have always just been so friendly.”