Local Veteran Celebrates 100th Birthday At The Commanders Game

CHARLOTTE HALL, Md. – This past Sunday, William “Billy” Chelsea, a WWII Army Veteran, celebrated his 100th birthday at the Commanders game!

Chelsea, a resident at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, was born on October 5, 1923, and moved to Washington D.C. from St. Mary’s County in 1946. Chelsea even worked at Griffith Stadium where the team played until 1965.

The Charlotte Hall Veterans Home wouldn’t have been able to do this if it weren’t for the help and sponsorship from Southern Maryland Vacation for Vets, a nonprofit organization that provides free weekend retreats for wounded and recovering service members and their families.

“With the help of all the fundraising and support from our community, through Southern Maryland Vacation for Vets, Connie Harrington Pennington made it happen,” Carmen Close Kerns stated in a Facebook post. “Thank you Wade for volunteering to drive and Toya from Charlotte Hall Veterans home to be by his side. To top it off it was also Service Member Recognition Day. So happy to see the smile on his face. Then he was surprised by his son, granddaughter, and great-grandson! Today was an amazing day for Mr. Chesley!”