KANOPOLIS — A highly decorated 97-year-old World War II veteran was selected as grand marshal of the 2022 Fort Harker Days Parade Saturday at Kanopolis.

“It’s an honor,” said Kanopolis native Elias “Eli” Hernandez. “I have to be very honest with you, because that’s how I feel. Why they picked me is unbeknownst to me. I’ve never done anything that merited such an honor.”

Events begin Friday night, with a sand volleyball tournament at 5 p.m., while a hamburger feed is from 5-7 p.m.

On Saturday, events begin at 7:30 a.m. with a run/walk and the parade at 10 a.m., which will feature Hernandez, who was born in Kanopolis in 1925.

“I think it’s a great thing,” said Eli’s daughter, Elena Gonzalez. “It is a great honor for him to be selected.”

Elena said Eli raised part of his family in Kanopolis to a certain age, and he served in the military while he lived in Kanopolis.

“This is where he wanted to be when he retired,” she added. After marrying his wife, Sofia, in 1942, Eli was drafted into the U.S. Army and shipped out Sept. 10, 1942, just one week after the birth of their first child. Eli was a soldier in Company L of the 7th Infantry Regiment, of the U.S. Third Infantry Division. During his service, he was wounded in a battle near Utlweiller, Germany, and underwent surgery in a field hospital. He was later awarded the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for his actions.

In 1953, Eli and Sofia, along with their five daughters, relocated to Chicago. There, he began competing in National Skeet and Trap Shooting tournaments and was ranked the third best trap shooter in the nation in 1959. Although he held numerous jobs, a favorite was managing the Lincoln Park Gun Club in Chicago, which overlooked Lake Michigan.

“I learned trap shooting here before I ever left Kanopolis,” Eli said. “I’ve shot trap for probably 60 years of my life and I did quite well. I enjoyed it. I traveled the country.”

Eli was also a boat captain on Lake Michigan for more than 20 years.

“Mackinac was one of my favorite rendezvous places,” he said. “All of those cities along the Lake Michigan shore are fantastic places.”

As the captain of various private yachts of all sizes, Eli met a lot of influential people — from Hollywood celebrities to Chicago city officials, judges, lawyers and even a post master general.

“They’re all classy people,” he said.

In 1994, Eli moved back to Kanopolis. In 2012, Eli and five fellow veterans of the Third Infantry Division were selected to receive the Knight of the Legion of Honor medal during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Eli and his fellow veterans received the medal for actions taken during their time in France during World War II. The medal, which was created by Napoleon, is the highest honor the French government grants. It is given to individuals who achieved remarkable deeds for France. After the ceremony, Eli and his fellow veterans went to Arlington National Cemetery, where Eli was selected to represent the 7th Regiment of the Third Infantry Division and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Today, back in Kanopolis, Eli enjoys gardening, fishing and having fish frys.

“I desire nothing but the life I have now,” Eli said. “I have everything I’ve ever wanted and need nothing more.”

He also has another passion — skydiving. Asked if he might have one more jump in mind, Eli immediately said “Yes.”

Eli noted, however, it is in the planning stage, but he wants to do the jump when his whole family can be present to see it.

“Now-a-days, I like to be on the waterfront,” he said. “I want to be thinking fish. I want to think fish to be a better fisherman. If there are any young boys out there who want to learn fishing, come and see me.”

Eli remains social.

“I can’t leave a place of business, whether it be a restaurant, a bar or a flower shop, without making a friend,” he said. “I believe in friends, because when you get old, they won’t even come to visit you. So you have to make friends while you can and enjoy their friendship like I do now.

“I have several friends, including my daughter. But I have a lot of friends in Ellsworth County and I’m sure I’m pretty well known in Ellsworth, Salina, Wilson, Hutchinson. I have a lot of friends everywhere I go.”

Eli describes himself as a “rebel at heart.”

“I am who I am,” he said unapologetically. “And I’ll be that until the last breath.”

Eli said perhaps the best piece of advice he can give young people today is to learn to read.

“I don’t care if you read one page, two pages or the whole book in one night like I used to do,” he said. “It is one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. You can put yourself anywhere in the world without ever going there.”

While money is nice to have, it isn’t the most important thing in life, Eli said.

“I think being able to move about freely with no incumbrances of any type and coming home to a family life and enjoying your children as they are growing up (is important),” he said.

“But most of all, try to be happy with yourself. Because if you can’t be happy, and you are a frustrated person, that’s what you will pass on. You don’t want to go there. You pass on happy things. Positive thinking is the way to go in life. Always think positive. Love your neighbor. You may not like him, but love him.”

Eli said his favorite part of the Fort Harker Days celebration is the togetherness it brings.

Elena, who grew up with four other sisters, said Eli and Sofia were their role models.

“We are the women — the strong women — that we are, and we are very strong women — because of his work ethic,” she said. “Dad was always a very hard worker and so was mom. He made sure he was every place on time. All of that has transferred on or gone even down into the grandchildren and the greatgrandchildren.”

Elena said Eli has also passed on the importance of respecting one another.

“Dad instilled in us that you are just as good as that next person and don’t ever let anyone tell you differently because that’s just not so,” she said. “So the confidence he instilled in all of us ... he’s just done so much for all of us.”

“You have to let your intelligence be the passion of your life,” Eli said.

Editor’s Note — A schedule of events for this weekend’s Fort Harker Days can be found on Page B1.