Yorktown WWII veteran Nils Mockler to turn 100

World War II veteran and Yorktown resident Nils Mockler will turn 100 later this month.

Rep. Mike Lawler presented World War II veteran Nils Mockler of Yorktown with a congressional certificate of recognition and a challenge coin April 13 ahead of his 100th birthday. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins also presented Mockler with a challenge coin during the visit to VFW Post 8328.

Challenge coins for veterans symbolize honor, camaraderie and military legacy.

Mockler was inducted into the Matt Slater’s 94th Assembly District Veterans Hall of Fame in 2024.

He served as an intelligence scout in the Marine Corps and witnessed the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi following the Battle of Iwo Jima, according to Americans in Wartime Experience.

A Marine Corps veteran, Mockler served as a combat intelligence scout with the 4th Marine Division’s Tank Battalion. He enlisted in 1944 at age 17 after being turned away the year before for being underage and underweight.

He saw his first combat at Iwo Jima in February 1945, landing on the first day of the invasion and supporting intelligence operations throughout the 36-day battle, according to Americans in Wartime Experience.

After the war, Mockler remained active in commemorating Iwo Jima and his fellow Marines, sharing his experiences to honor those who served and sacrificed.