Valley's Oldest WW2 Vet Dies

Thousand Oaks' Len Zerlin flew 36 WWII missions.

August 7, 2026

Len Zerlin, believed to be the [Conejo Valley's oldest surviving WWII veteran,](https://www.theacorn.com/articles/conejo-valleys-oldest-wwii-warrior-len-zerlin-dies-at-102/) died July 23 of pneumonia brought on by COVID-19, his son told The Acorn. He was 102, and was buried with military honors July 26 at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills.

A Brooklyn native who turned 18 three days after Pearl Harbor, Zerlin flew 36 combat missions aboard a B-26 Marauder bomber, including two over Normandy on D-Day. He earned a Silver Star after crewmates dangled him headfirst from the bomb bay doors to pry loose an armed bomb stuck to the plane's belly.

Zerlin moved to Thousand Oaks in 1961 and worked in aerospace. He rarely discussed the war until a granddaughter's school interview revealed how little young people knew about it.

The experience inspires him to [begin speaking at local schools](https://www.toacorn.com/articles/memories-of-a-d-day-centenarian/), and eventually publish a memoir.

Zerlin eventually turn his bedroom into a WWII museum, complete with his "Flak Bait" flight suit.

He is survived by two children, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.