Thursday, October 1, 2026
He’s been a military pilot, a spacecraft engineer and helped develop the polio vaccine. Longtime Freeport resident Joseph Austin has filled his 100 years of life with meaningful work and contributions that have changed the world — and he has no intention of stopping.
Surrounded by friends and family, Austin celebrated his 100th birthday on March 3 at the Bayview restaurant on the Nautical Mile.
Austin has made meaningful contributions to diverse aspects of science, the U.S. military and the local community.
His most notable contribution to the world may have been his work as a lab technician with renowned scientist Jonas Salk, who he helped to develop the first successful polio vaccine in 1955. Salk, however, chose not to patent it, in an effort to encourage its widespread distribution.
“He was the busiest man I ever met,” Austin said of Salk. “I worked with him at Pitt (the University of Pittsburgh) in his laboratory… We didn’t realize we were making history until afterward. He was a nice man and really good to work with.”
Austin’s experience with vaccines would later lead him to become a vocal proponent of the Covid-19 vaccine, particularly in Freeport’s African American community.
Austin’s work with Salk was interrupted temporarily by another incredible endeavor, when he trained to become one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black U.S. military pilots in history. His training was intended for future combat experience in the Korean War, but an unfortunate crash took him out of the program.
When Austin returned to the University of Pittsburgh to finish his degree and work with Salk, he took on another U.S. government job working for the U.S. Postal Service to support his academic aspirations. While finishing at the University of Pittsburgh, Austin made another, final career change.
“I switched from chemistry to engineering, ‘cause I was told by someone that it was hard for Black folks to get a job in chemistry,” Austin said. “It was a very exciting time, and I had a very interesting life. I have no regrets.”
Austin certainly found interesting work in the field of engineering, highlighted by a stint as an electrical engineer at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, where he helped develop the Lunar Excursion Module, used to carry the first astronauts to the Moon in 1969 for the Apollo 11 mission. During his more than 30-year career working at Grumman, Austin also helped develop the Grumman F-14 Tomcat supersonic fighter jet that served the U.S. Navy.
When asked how he managed to live to 100, Austin simply replied, “I just didn’t die.” He expressed appreciation for the “wonderful people” in the Freeport community, which he has been a part of since 1958, and the Nassau Mineral Club, of which he’s been a member and invited lecturer.
Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy expressed his admiration for Austin, stating, “Once you hear about all the things he’d done in his life, you want to learn more about such an extraordinary man.
“As a fellow veteran, I’d like to thank him for his military service,” Kennedy continued. “I’d also applaud his efforts with Dr. Jonas Salk and his early endeavors in the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage people of color to get vaccinated.”
Kennedy and the Village of Freeport presented Austin with a special citation and held a procession of local fire and police department vehicles to honor his milestone birthday.
As an older adult, Austin continued to contribute positively to the Freeport community philanthropically, through teaching typing classes, and coaching the Freeport Little League for years.
Currently in retirement, Austin has enjoyed 70 years of marriage with his wife Marilyn. They have four children who all graduated from Freeport High School. Austin now channels his love of minerals and engineering through making hundreds of pieces of jewelry from semi-precious stones, which he gives to his family and friends.
