New riding mover makes navigating the lawn and trips to visit neighbors easy for 99-year-old Navy veteran

Veteran Dick Fitz cuts his neighbors' lawns with his riding lawnmower/tractor. | Neal Supranovich

Posted By: David Fortier June 5, 2024

Contributed by Neal Supranovich

After 99-years of wear on his legs, it is with some relief that Navy World War II veteran Dick Fitz cranks up his new riding mower. He not only cuts his lawn but he cuts the lawns of his neighbors and even drives over for a visit, up and down Sunnydale Avenue.

Fitz had quite a career with the Navy.

During WWII he was a gunner on a Merchant Marine ship that ran a course in which 79 ships were lost to German U-boats, taking 3,000 sailors with them.

Dick Fitz, 99-year-old Navy veteran, makes a trip up the street on his new riding mover. | Neal Supranovich

The run was to supply Russia. While on this run his ship was hit by a German torpedo that turned out to be a dud. A picture the damaged ship sitting in dry dock for repair is displayed in his home.

Later in the war, Fitz spent five days in London during the intense bombing by the Germans. He hid at night in their subway.

Also on his travels, he passed through both canals, Panama and Suez, and was on the Mariana Islands when both atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan arrived and were loaded on the planes that delivered them. He has a picture of the hole dug to enable the bombs to be loaded.

The riding mover arrived at his home on the morning of May 29 on a flatbed truck from UNITED Ag & Turf, which included a bonus check for a third of the price of the mower among other gifts.

If there is a problem with the arrival of the mower, it is that Fitz’s grandsons and great grandsons want to drive it.

Fitz is a longtime member of American Legion, Post 2.

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