Seal Beach City Council honors LW centenarian and WWII vet

CENTENARIAN

The Seal Beach City Council honored World War II veteran and Mutual 12 resident Alfred Arrieta at its May 22 meeting. He turned 100 on May 23.

The crowd errupted into applause as he received recognitions from the offices of First District Supervisor Andrew Do, Assemblymember Diane Dixon, Senator Janet Wynn, Congresswoman Katie Porter and the City of Seal Beach, each of whom presented him with certificates of recognition. From Porter, Arrieta received an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol. “I was proud to serve my country,” Arrieta said.

During his time in combat, he completed 32 missions over enemy-occupied Europe as a waist gunner in a B-17 bomber. In mission No. 29, he survived a Christmas Eve crash and rendered aid to his seriously wounded crewmates. By war’s end, he was awarded an Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters.