America's last World War I veteran dies

[Stevetry]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyBtoxXLdas[/youtube]

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Frank Buckles, the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I, has died. He was 110.

Buckles, who also survived being a civilian POW in the Philippines in World War II, died peacefully of natural causes early Sunday at his home in Charles Town, biographer and family spokesman David DeJonge said in a statement. Buckles turned 110 on Feb. 1 and had been advocating for a national memorial honoring veterans of World War I in Washington, D.C.

Buckles lied about his age to join the army at age 16.The Missouri native was among nearly 5 million Americans who served in World War I in 1917 and 1918.

"I knew there'd be only one (survivor) someday. I didn't think it would be me," he was quoted as saying in recent years.

Buckles drove an ambulance during the war. The Washington Post said that with Buckles' death, only a 109-year-old Australian man and a 110-year-old British woman were believed to survive from the estimated 65 million people who served in the 1914-1918 war.

On Nov. 11, 2008, the 90th anniversary of the end of the war, Buckles attended a ceremony at the grave of World War I Gen. John Pershing in Arlington National Cemetery.

"I can see what they're honoring, the veterans of World War I," he told CNN.

Born in Missouri in 1901 and raised in Oklahoma, Buckles visited a string of military recruiters after the United States entered the "war to end all wars" in April 1917. He was repeatedly rejected before convincing an Army captain he was 18. He was 16½.

"A boy of (that age), he's not afraid of anything. He wants to get in there," Buckles said.

More than 4.7 million people joined the U.S. military from 1917-18.

Buckles served in England and France, working mainly as a driver and a warehouse clerk. The fact he did not see combat didn't diminish his service, he said: "Didn't I make every effort?"

An eager student of culture and language, he used his off-duty hours to learn German, visit cathedrals, museums and tombs, and bicycle in the French countryside.

After Armistice Day, Buckles helped return prisoners of war to Germany. He returned to the United States in January 1920.

Buckles returned to Oklahoma for a while, then moved to Canada, where he worked a series of jobs before heading for New York City. There, he again took advantage of free museums, worked out at the YMCA, and landed jobs in banking and advertising.

But it was the shipping industry that suited him best, and he worked around the world for the White Star Line Steamship Co. and W.R. Grace & Co.
Photoblog: Farewell to Frank Buckles

Adventure 'just came to me'
In 1941, while on business in the Philippines, Buckles was captured by the Japanese. He spent 3½ years in prison camps.

"I was never actually looking for adventure," Buckles once said. "It just came to me."

He married in 1946 and moved to his farm in West Virginia in 1954, where he and wife Audrey raised their daughter, Susannah Flanagan. Audrey Buckles died in 1999.

In spring 2007, Buckles told the AP of the trouble he went through to get into the military.

"I went to the state fair up in Wichita, Kansas, and while there, went to the recruiting station for the Marine Corps," he said. "The nice Marine sergeant said I was too young when I gave my age as 18, said I had to be 21."

Buckles returned a week later.

"I went back to the recruiting sergeant, and this time I was 21," he said with a grin. "I passed the inspection ... but he told me I just wasn't heavy enough."

Then he tried the Navy, whose recruiter told Buckles he was flat-footed.

Buckles wouldn't quit. In Oklahoma City, an Army captain demanded a birth certificate.

"I told him birth certificates were not made in Missouri when I was born, that the record was in a family Bible. I said, 'You don't want me to bring the family Bible down, do you?'" Buckles said with a laugh. "He said, 'OK, we'll take you.'"

QUOTEjoin the army at age 16.

he loves his country A Real AMERICAN


I always been interested in history specially the world wars you always hear people talking about WW2 but i feel as people are forgetting there was a WW1

Source

 

[fgghjjkll]

Amen to him.
May he rest in peace.
He was a true American fighting for what he believed in. A patriot.

 

[Vidboy10]

I thought the last WW1 veteran died?

 

[ShadowSoldier]

You guys ever consider what the world would be like had the events of the World Wars be opposite? As in the enemy won?

 

[The Catboy]

Wow, to be honest I didn't even know there were any veterans left from WWI.

May he rest in peace.

 

[Nujui]

May he rest in peace.

 

[kiafazool]

REST IN PEACE

what a brave man

 

[TrolleyDave]

The world owed people like him a huge debt. May he rest in peace.

 

[Slyakin]

I hope the family is coping.

May he rest in piece. The man did a big favor for his country.

:salute:

 

[Stevetry]

You guys ever consider what the world would be like had the events of the World Wars be opposite? As in the enemy won?

yea lots of times


the word would be a different place today

 

[ShadowSoldier]

The world owed people like him a huge debt. May he rest in peace.

While that's 100% true, it's not very often Veteran's are rewarded as much as they should. A lot of times, after they come home from the war, they still have to go out, get jobs just to make ends meat. A lot of jobs don't even look at Veterans as a real holiday, and if they have a Veteran working for them... oh well.

 

[Vidboy10]

You guys ever consider what the world would be like had the events of the World Wars be opposite? As in the enemy won?

http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/Central_World

 

[Warrior522]

Sleep well, old man; your work here is done...

*salute*

 

[431unknown]

i feel sad that he has passed away but just think about all the advancements this guy has seen through out his life. it's just mind boggeling.

 

[Canonbeat234]

The sad part is that this Veteran did it through the hope for of his Country, what it represents and symbolizes. It's sad that most Americans don't have that kind of spirit to join the military with pride; all it comes down too is filling your pockets with Benjamins. Sadly there's are WWII, Korean, Vietman, and Gulf War veterans that come back to this soil and have a harder time looking for a job!

Edit: Ah, my 2k post about a War veteran who passed away. What a symbolic post this is...

 

[ShadowSoldier]

i feel sad that he has passed away but just think about all the advancements this guy has seen through out his life. it's just mind boggeling.

Just a shame he didn't make it to the Mattel Hoverboard era.

Spoiler

 

[Raiser]

People like him carry this world through the darkness.

Rest in peace, Mr. Buckles.

 

[gamefan5]

Amen to him. Defended his country. He was a TRUE american. He lived history and 2 world wars. May he rest in peace.

 

[Omninox]

While that's 100% true, it's not very often Veteran's are rewarded as much as they should. A lot of times, after they come home from the war, they still have to go out, get jobs just to make ends meat. A lot of jobs don't even look at Veterans as a real holiday, and if they have a Veteran working for them... oh well.

so true, i was reading a while back about how so many men that have served their country for years, are left jobless after they return from war. They're treated like kids who've just finished education, not getting any priority in jobs. It's quite shameful knowing these men spent most of their lives protecting us, and end up getting left without an income once they have no more use.

May he rest in peace.

 

[Fishaman P]

Wow. 110. Would have been cool if he was born in 1899. Then he could have legally joined the military AND lived to see 3 centuries.