By Bradly Gill
News Editor
Warren Broome celebrated his 100th birthday at the Fairview Methodist Church on Sunday.
Broome was surrounded by family and friends and Ouachita County Judge Robert McAdoo read a proclamation stating that January 12 was "Warren Broome Day" in Ouachita County
Broome was named after the 29th president of the United States of America, Warren G. Harding. He was born in Kathwood, South Carolina, on January 12, 1922 to James Manford and Nian Broome.
He served in the Navy from June 1942 through August 1972. Broome is the veteran of three wars: World War II, Vietnam and Korea.
Some of the ships he served on were the USS Fletcher, USS Charles P. Rowan, USS Caperton and USS Columbus.
"It would be easier for me to tell you what countries I haven't been to," he said, adding that he had served in Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Australia, China, England, France, Italy, Greece and many more nations.
Broome received the Good Conduct Medal and the Asiatic War Medal during his time in the Navy.
He said he spent 14 months in Saudi Arabia as a disc jockey at the beginning of the Korean war. His call sign was Ray Warren.
After his retirement from the Navy in 1972, he worked for RCA Service Company in Washington, D.C. for 16 years.
In 1987, he moved to Arkansas and built a house in the Fair Oaks division with his wife Delta, who he met in 1946 at a restaurant in San Francisco.
Her brother was in the Navy with Broome. They were married Jan 1, 1947. To this union, two children were born: Linda Broome in 1948 and Raymond Broome in 1951. Raymond Broome passed away in 1972, and Delta Broome in 1996, after 49 years of marriage with Warren Broome.
Broome said his hobbies are photography and reading. He has an enormous library of books at his home.
Photo by Bradly Gill Broome's cake was a replica of the first ship he served on.