Mililani resident celebrates 100th birthday with skydive jump
1/11
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VIDEO BY WILLIAM COLE AND SKYDIVE HAWAII
Retired Army Master Sgt. Polito "Paul" Olivas, who turned 100 on Aug. 22, made a freefall tandem parachute jump on Wednesday at Dillingham Airfield to celebrate his birthday.2/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The Hawaii resident was an Army paratrooper in World War II who jumped into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 with the 101st Airborne Division. He figures his last jump was probably around 1964.3/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
For Polito "Paul" Olivas, who jumped into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 with the 101st Airborne Division as German spotlights and bullets pierced the night sky, this time was just pure thrill.4/11
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COURTESY SKYDIVE HAWAII
Polito "Paul" Olivas jumps out at 14,000 feet tethered to Skydive Hawaii instructor Richard Doppelmayer.5/11
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COURTESY SKYDIVE HAWAII
The post-birthday jump capped a celebration of Olivas’ remarkable life so far, which was an adventure even before he jumped out of a low-flying C-47 airplane loaded down with a rucksack, parachute and M1 Garand rifle 74 years ago.6/11
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COURTESY SKYDIVE HAWAII
Even at 100, Polito "Paul" Olivas doesn’t use glasses or a hearing aid, friends say. Before the jump, the 5-foot-2, 120-pound Olivas said he was ready.7/11
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COURTESY SKYDIVE HAWAII
Retired Marine Corps Col. John Bates, who also jumped with Polito "Paul" Olivas, said the oldest person to skydive was 102. Bates said he wants to participate in Olivas’ 103rd birthday jump to break the record.8/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Polito "Paul" Olivas is surrounded by other jumpers after the landing on his first free fall jump.9/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Bosley Diggs, left, gives a congratulatory hug to his friend Polito "Paul" Olivas after his first free fall jump. On the right behind Paul is Maj. Kevin Boyd and on the far right is Col. John R Bates (retired U.S. Marine Corp) who also jumped and took video of Paul during the jump.10/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Polito "Paul" Olivas gets a hug from Richard Doppelmayer after landing his first free fall jump.11/11
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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Polito "Paul" Olivas and his friends from Mililani, Bob Kent, Roy Ogasawara and Ben Pinner, hold their jump certificates after they completed their free fall jumps together.
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