At 100 years old, Edward ‘Ed’ Gill is still going strong. The World War II veteran spends six nights a week at Pappa G’s Pool Hall in Pelham, Alabama, where he has become a regular fixture. Gill’s love for pool is just one part of his story, which is being preserved by photographer Jeff Rease as part of his ‘Portraits of Honor’ project.

A Life of Service

Gill served in the Navy as an aviation radioman, flying aboard dive bombers and patrol bombers during World War II. After the war, he built a career as an air traffic controller. But these days, much of his time is spent around pool tables, where he has become a bit of a legend.

Gill’s story stretches from an Alabama farm to the skies over World War II. He credits his longevity to his faith and his outlook on life. ‘I’m not going to be here that long,’ he said with a smile. ‘I plan to be. I’ve outlived four generations already.’

Preserving History

Rease’s ‘Portraits of Honor’ project aims to document the lives of World War II veterans across the country. The project began in 2019 with a portrait of Col. Carl Cooper and has since grown to include nearly 400 portraits. Rease estimates that only about 30,000 World War II veterans remain alive in the United States, and he is racing against time to preserve their stories.

For Rease, each portrait is more than just a photograph – it’s a way to capture a life still being lived. ‘Then I’ll end up spending two hours talking and hearing 95 or 100 years of life history,’ he said. Gill’s story is just one of many that Rease has captured, and it’s a testament to the power of preserving history.

Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.