SIX World War II veterans, including one who was a prisoner of war in Germany for two years, were turned away from a posh restaurantbecause their clothing did not meet the eaterys dress code.

The Houston Chronicle reported that Wolfgang Puck’s posh Dallas restaurant didn't allow the veterans to enter as they were under-dressed.

Jay Coberly, who was shot down over Schweinfurt, Germany, in 1943, was among the veterans who were turned away on Tuesday by the hostess of Five Sixty restaurant, located in a rotating dining room at the top of Reunion Tower.

Coberly, 93, and his would-be dining companions, most of whom are in their late 80s or early 90s, were wearing baseball caps, POW T-shirts and shorts - attire the hostess insisted did not meet the restaurant’s “business casual” clothing requirement.

“I figure if I spent two years in a POW camp, I could have handled the privilege of sitting in that fancy restaurant a few minutes,” said Mr Coberly, who served as a bombardier with the decorated 8th Army Air Force.

“We weren’t dressed like hobos,” he said. “We were just dressed comfortably.”

Stephanie Davis, the director of communications for the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, said the group would have been admitted if the hostess had spoken with her manager.

Davis also said it is possible that it was not clear the men were veterans.

“If they had explained who they were and what they were doing, it would not have happened,” Davis said. “It was a mistake and we’re apologetic.”

The general manager of Five Sixty sent the veterans two bottles of Scotch, a written apology and an invitation to return to the restaurant. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert also wrote to each veteran welcoming them back to the city.

Read more about war vets turned away from eatery for attire at The Houston Chronicle.

Originally published as War vets turned away from eatery for attire