VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) –  Just days after turning 100 years old, retired Navy Lieutenant Commander Leo Dorman took a trip to the Military Aviation Museum.

 “I love it. I come down here a lot,” Dorman said as he gazed at displayed bomber jackets. The sight jogged his own memory and he starts asking about his own.

“It’s hanging up in a closet at home,” recalled Dorman’s neighbor who spends a lot of time with him. On Sunday, they spent their time at the museum with six other World War II veterans. For Dorman, the comradery makes for a nice trip down memory lane.

“Well, I joined the military when I was 18 years old,” said Dorman with a smile. “I’ve flown a lot of airplanes, close to forty. My logbooks will show you around 10,000 flight hours.”

Those hours were spent in the skies above not only during World War II, but also during the Vietnam and the Korean War. He was also the operations officer on Ebeye Island, a remote site in the Pacific Ocean where nuclear tests took place.

Since he was a young boy, Dorman was fascinated with planes. He says that’s what put him on a path to join the military.

“Oh, I love to fly,” Dorman said with a smile. “I’d try just about any plane they put in front of me.”

After serving in the military, Dorman spends his days reflecting on 100 years’ worth of memories and attending outings with Assisting Veteran’s Needs (AVN). The organization is run by the Lumanog’s, a husband-and-wife duo dedicated to improving the lives of local veterans. 

The Lumanog’s are responsible for the gathering that took place at Pungo Aviation on Sunday. After becoming a centennial this week, Dorman is thrilled to be joining.

“Yeah, I turned 100 here… I think,” he joked. “I think it’s kind of hard for me to keep up these days.”

But on Sunday, the WWII veteran had a pep in his step – because there was a plane in his sight.

At 100-years-old, Leo never thought he’d be back in the cockpit. Thanks to Dream Flights, he’s hopping back into one of the same planes he used to fly – a Stearman.

Dream Flights honors military veterans for their service by giving them the opportunity to take flight.

“You made and saw a lot of history,” expressed Jeff Klosky, a Dream Flight pilot.

A total of seven military veterans from Generals to bronze star recipients joined in on today’s flight. A small way of saying thank you, from one pilot to another, for Dormans lifetime of service.

“I hope I gave enough service to help put a little mark in things,” said Dorman