World War II veteran Bill Doyle, of La Habra, woke up Thursday morning thinking he would be eating breakfast with friends.

He was right. But those friends also surprised him with a surprise party — cake and all the trimmings for a World War II veteran who turned 99.

The group of retired law enforcement officers — who called their group The Old Man’s Breakfast — met at the La Habra Heights Cafe to honor Doyle with a cake and birthday wishes. The spry Doyle was all smiles as he took in the birthday vibe, which also included a lot of reminiscing and a look at old pictures.“It’s a great bunch of guys,” he said of the surprise. “I knew it was going to be something. But I didn’t know what.”

The group of retired officers befriended Doyle, a WWII veteran who saw combat at Iwo Jima. They invited him to the Thursday breakfasts a couple of years ago, and it’s been friendship ever since, leading to Thursday’s birthday bash.

Keith Durflinger is a freelance photographer for the Southern California News Group.