Author Topic: Veteran among last 3 known survivors of World War I (Read 262 times)

Sundowner · « **on:** July 05, 2007, 04:18:56 AM »

Looks like an era and a generation is poised to pass away.

Regards,
Sun

Veteran among last 3 known survivors of World War I

Frank Buckles is 106 and not as spry as he used to be. But try to help him from a chair to his feet, and he will bellow a loud, clear "No."

Ninety years after the headstrong teenager lied his way into a uniform, then into the European theater of World War I, Buckles remains fiercely independent.

More than 4.7 million Americans joined the military from 1917-18, but the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says only three survive. For decades, Buckles sat in his living room and read issues of a military magazine called The Torch, watching the list of fellow veterans dwindle.

"Soon, I was able to say, 'Oh my gosh, I am going to be one of the last,"' he said.

Buckles is the youngest of the known survivors. The others are 107-year-old Harry Landis of Florida and 108-year-old J. Russell Coffey of Ohio. None of the three saw action....
Full Article:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/04/wwi.survivors.ap/index.html

MiloMorai · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2007, 05:58:39 AM »

Any vets left from other countries that participated in WW1, besides the USA?

Nashwan · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2007, 07:59:01 AM »

3 in Britain.

Harry Patch fought at Passchendaele.

Henry Allingham was at Jutland

William Stone the last surviving British veteran of both world wars.

straffo · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2007, 09:26:05 AM »

2 in france :

Louis de Cazenave
Lazare Ponticelli

Maverick · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2007, 10:19:02 AM »

Survivors of a terrible time and experiance. ~~to them all.~~

cpxxx · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2007, 10:53:01 AM »

Amazing to think of all the changes they've seen over the years. Growing up in Ireland, I met one WW1 veteran as a kid, my friend's Grandad. He actually served in ww2 as well being a career soldier in the British army ending up as a warrant officer. He taught us how to drill and told us the story of how he shot down a plane once.

Actually both my Grandfathers served in the British army in WW1 but both had died before I was born.

Sad to think they're nearly all gone.

midnight Target · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2007, 10:56:50 AM »

My Grandfather served in the French army and the American Navy during WW1.

That was after he went AWOL from the Stokholm Guard.