Yesterday, the last living American WWI veteran died at age 110. Frank Buckles lied about his age to join the Army in 1917 and went to war as a 16 year old. He volunteered to drive ambulances because he heard that was the fastest way to get in the action. After the war he worked for a steamship company and was captured as a civilian by the Japanese during WWII and kept as a prisoner of war. Later in life he ran a cattle ranch and was still riding his tractor until age 104.
Buckles was the last WWI soldier to die. The only other two veterans of WWI that remain are “Claude Choules, who served in Britain’s Royal Navy and now lives in Australia, and Florence Green, a member of Britain’s Women’s Royal Air Force and who lives in England.”
I remember my dad saying that when he was growing up, the Veteran’s Day and Fourth of July parades were filled with WWI vets. And then they slowly disappeared. Today, WWII veterans are vanishing in the same way. Of the 16 million people who served in WWII, only 2 million are still with us today. And they are dying at a rate of 1,000 a day. So if you know an old veteran, be sure to take the time to have him tell you his story before he and his history pass forever from the earth.
Frank Buckles, Last World War I Doughboy, Is Dead at 110 – NYTimes.com.
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Thank you Sir for your service and God bless
I have so much respect for the older generations – Me being 19, It seems amazing to most people that I’m so intrigued by the elderly, but I always tell them the same thing – You’ll never hear someone tell you a better story than someone who’s lived through history itself.
Interesting that the Marine Corps Times article noted that he was the last WWI vet ANYWHERE, not just the last American. I quote: “Buckles, the last known surviving veteran of World War I, died Feb. 27 of natural causes…”. (Source: http://bit.ly/gLA8ng ) I’m really curious who is correct about whether he was the last vet or not!
Why did they call them doughboys?
@Steven – Some historian will probably correct me with better info, but IIRC from my history classes it had to do with the sour dough bread that the soldiers ate.
That is one manly name. It must feel so strange to know that you are the last of your generation.
Well done Mr Buckles.
RIP Cpl Buckles
Death may still his breath but his heart still beats in the chests of his countrymen who remember him.
Lost my grandfather this past summer to cancer. He joined the Marine Corp when he was 16 and fought in the Battle of Peleliu. I really wish he was alive today so that I can record his story for the national archives.
May his memory be eternal.
-Salutes-
It would have been an honor to have met this soldier. Thank you for your bravery and service to our country!
Heard his story this morning on NPR. We are all diminished by the loss of a man who served his country honorably.
RIP, Mr. Buckles.
BTW, if any of you know a WWII vet who would like to tell his story, here is a link to the National Museum of the Pacific War’s Oral History department: http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/OralHistories.asp
I used to work at the museum, and I can tell you that they are very interested in recording the stories of all WWII vets, regardless of theatre, for future generations. You don’t even have to travel to the museum for the interview; they can do it over the phone, and your vet will receive a transcript of the interview.
As fast as our WWII vets are dying, this is a monumental and critical mission, and you can help.
Besides, preserving our history is a very manly thing to do.
“Frank Buckles lied about his age to join the Army in 1917 and went to war as a 16 year old. He volunteered to drive ambulances because he heard that was the fastest way to get in the action”.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to…
The last part of this little excerpt actually made me very sad. I don’t know any WWI or WWII veterans but would love to sit down with them and have a chat. RIP.
When I was a boy, it seemed like there were WWI vets everywhere. Hard to believe that they’re all gone now.
God bless all veterans, living or dead, timed served in peace or war.
God rest your soul sir.
how was life back then? seems to be nice compare to now.. . the only battle they need to win is the range between divided nations. but now morality, decency,and character are few of the things we need to fight for today… a big,unending war with No hope of winning,I guess.
There was a great video piece about Mr. Buckles done a couple years ago, which was a pleasure to watch:
http://www.vimeo.com/5966300
R.I.P rest in piece sir
thank you 4 everything
It was guys with guts like Cpl Frank Buckles (& many others including my Father) that allowed my in-laws and many other Brits to remain speaking English (instead of German) and we Australians & Kiwis to remain speaking English instead of Japanese.
Lest We Forget – at the going down of the sun and in the morn,
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.