95-year-old veteran killed in car crash while on his way to meet friends: ‘Man of integrity’

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A 95-year-old veteran was recently killed in a car accident on his way to see his friends for an early morning meetup.

South Carolina resident Peter Pulkkinen died after his car collided with a Myrtle Beach Fire Department (MBFD) vehicle on Saturday. The Horry County Coroner’s Office confirmed his death in an email to Fox News Digital. 

The incident took place at around 5:46 a.m. In a statement posted to Facebook, fire department officials said that they were responding to a structure fire call before the crash happened. 

MBFD personnel rendered aid to Pulkkinen, but the nonagenarian passed away after being brought to a local hospital.

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Peter Pulkkinen died in an accident involving the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. (Legacy.com / Myrtle Beach Fire Department via Facebook)

“The two Myrtle Beach Fire Department employees involved in the accident are physically unharmed,” the MBFD’s statement added. “South Carolina Highway Patrol is leading the investigation.”

“Our hearts go out to everyone involved.”

Pulkkinen’s niece, Avis, told WMBF that the veteran was on his way to McDonald’s to meet his friends for a cup of coffee. It was one of his regular routines.

“He was an excellent driver, and we had ridden with him. When we visited with him, he insisted on driving,” Avis explained. “He was always so cautious, so careful, looking both ways.”

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Peter Pulkkinen, 95, joined the U.S. Air Force in 1948 and served for 20 years. (Legacy.com)

Pulkkinen’s obituary, which was posted on Legacy.com, remembered him as a “quiet man of integrity.” He was born in 1929 and grew up on a farm in Maine before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1948.

Pulkkinen, who met his wife in England and brought her to the U.S., served in the military for two decades before transitioning to the private sector.

“He loved to take walks, read biographies and history books, take trips to visit friends in Florida, and enjoyed driving through the Kentucky countryside,” the obituary described. “His favorite weekly outing was a meal at the Golden Corral.”

The Myrtle Beach Fire Department reported that its personnel rendered aid to Pulkkinen after the crash. (Myrtle Beach Fire Department via Facebook)

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Myrtle Beach Fire Department for additional comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to andrea.vacchiano@fox.com.