Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – If there’s a 250th birthday, you’d better believe there will be cake.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Monday hosted the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs‘ celebration of the Marines. While honor was paid to Bill Keener, 96, the oldest Marine there, telling the tale of his Korean War service was anything but celebratory.

“A lot of sad memories,” Keener said afterward. “One of the worst ones was when I had to go to my best buddy’s parents, because they wanted to know how he died. That was the hardest thing for me to do, was to go and talk to the parents.” Keener now lives at the state veterans’ home in Manteno.

The ceremony’s guest of honor was Marine veteran Anthony Vaughn, assistant director of IDVA. “The strength of the Marine Corps is the Marine,” he said. “The strength of the Marine is the Marine Corps.”