A 104-year-old United States Marine veteran who has never celebrated Valentine's Day before has been left dumbfounded by a sudden deluge of love letters pouring into his mailbox.

William White-'Major Bill' as he is now known to the internet-was awarded a Purple Heart after he fought at Iwo Jima during World War II, and he served a total of 35 years active duty. He now lives at an assisted living facility in Stockton, California where he is a beloved member of the retirement community.

One of his admirers, a fellow resident, launched a social media campaign called "Operation Valentine" recruiting friends, family members, and strangers to send Valentine's Day cards to White, hoping to get 100 mailed.

Even when White's wife of 42 years was alive, he says they never exchanged cards or celebrated the Hallmark holiday.

So imagine his surprise when he was flooded with more than 70,000 love letters, greeting cards, and well wishes from all 50 states and several foreign countries.

"It's just too fantastic," White told Reuters. "It's something I've never heard of or seen. All of a sudden here, like a ton of bricks. I'm sort of speechless."

(WATCH the news coverage below) - Photo by b/60

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