Earl Louis Forstall, Sr., very likely BVA’s longest living member in its 79-year history, passed away on March 6 at the age of 104 as an active, admired, and beloved member of the Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group. Born September 23, 1919, Earl was a World War II veteran and lifelong New Orleans resident. 

One of seven children, Earl entered the military at age 22 as a Private in the Army Air Corps. As an engine specialist based out of Boise Air Force Base, his first plane was a B-17 flown by actor, pilot, and Brigadier General James “Jimmy” Stewart. Following that first placement, Earl was promoted to Crew Chief and assigned to the B-24 named “Queenie,” which flew 59 missions without a single failure.

Earl was a member of the 8th Army Air Force, 445th Bomber Group, and rose to the rank of Master Sergeant. He was a two-time recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and was also awarded the Good Conduct Medal and Honorable Service Medal. His other citations included European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, American Campaign, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar. His unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation that included a personal citation for him.

Earl married Elizabeth Cole in 1953 and together they raised a family of seven children. The family later added 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. With his two brothers he opened a typography enterprise in 1953, “Forstall Typographers/The Ad Shop,” which served the New Orleans advertising and marketing community for 50 years.

Earl’s longtime friend and fellow regional group member Gary Schoelerman provided BVA National Headquarters with accounts of Earl’s most recent birthdays as they occurred. In 2019, for example, Earl celebrated his hundredth birthday at the World War II Museum in New Orleans. The regional group that day sponsored the party with honors and citations from President Donald Trump, Louisiana Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, Congressman Cedric Richmond, Governor John Bel Edwards, the Museum itself, and Dr. Tom Zampieri, BVA National President at the time.

Earl held several leadership positions in the previously named Louisiana Regional Group and attended banquets and regional group get-togethers far past his hundredth birthday.

Asked many times about his longevity and how it was possible, Earl humorously attributed it to clean living and a good cocktail every evening!