Last Known WWI Veteran

By Miss Cellania in Weapons & War on May 26, 2008 at 10:22 am

Frank Woodruff Buckles is the only living American-born veteran of World War I, as far as federal officials know. The 107-year-old veteran was honored at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City yesterday during Memorial Day celebrations.

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 rejected by the Marines and the Navy, but eventually persuaded an Army captain he was 18 and enlisted, convincing him Missouri didn’t keep public records of birth.

Buckles sailed for England in 1917 on the Carpathia, which is known for its rescue of Titanic survivors, and spent his tour of duty working mainly as a driver and a warehouse clerk in Germany and France. He rose to the rank of corporal and after Armistice Day he helped return prisoners of war to Germany.

Buckles later traveled the world working for the shipping company White Star Line and was in the Philippines in 1940 when the Japanese invaded. He became a prisoner of war for nearly three years.

Buckles is to attend a ceremony today in which he will be presented with the American flag from the memorial site. Link

(image credit: AP/Charlie Riedel)

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Christophe
May 26th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
God bless him and all those who made my country free. It’s good we still honor them : some people have now an awfully short memory…
Yawn.
May 26th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
What’s passed is past.
DDT
May 26th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Just because it’s passed doesn’t mean you should forget. Maybe if people didn’t forget we wouldn’t be the aggressors in Iraq.
Sid Morrison
May 26th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
DDT-
Shut the F up. You have to try to make political hay out of an entire generation’s gallant service to our nation.
God bless him and the hundreds of thousands who put up with trench warfare and being gassed so that pantywaists like you could be free.
Shay
May 26th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Duly said, Mr. Morrison.
Shadowfirebird
May 27th, 2008 at 2:19 am
He’s not the only living WW1 veteran. You just need to look outside the US. So someone was sloppy here.
Shay
May 27th, 2008 at 3:54 am
The only living NORTH AMERICAN (not Canadian) veteran if one wants to split hairs.
mcconochie
May 27th, 2008 at 3:56 am
@Shadowfirebird:

“Frank Woodruff Buckles is the only living American-born veteran of World War I”
Pol x
May 27th, 2008 at 4:20 am
I ha ve to say, who ever writes the head lines for these articles sems to always be making pronouncements about the WORLD whenmeaning the USA.

I am sure Mr Buckles wouldn’t go around saying he’s the last veteran, as it would be disrespectful of all the other veterans.

Franz Kunstler for one. Forgot that Germany has it’s veterans too? Who are equally venerated.

The ANZACs still have a few “diggers” who march out every 25th of April.

Italy canada, the UK, Australia and USA al;l have veterans aged 107 or more.

There are also vets from Poland Finland and the Ukraine.

But hey the US is the country that with out a hint of self awareness holds an annual World series to which no one else is invited save Canada.
E
May 27th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
“But hey the US is the country that with out a hint of self awareness holds an annual World series to which no one else is invited save Canada.”

We’re all aware of it dude. We just like calling it that to piss people like you off. Obviously it’s working.
Archbob
May 28th, 2008 at 1:26 am
Hats off to the old veteran!

Too bad the war did not end all wars.
Pol x
May 28th, 2008 at 2:46 am
E

do you actually for even one second think that the REST OF THE WORLD gives a good god damn about the world series of ROUNDERS?

Good god, your conceit knows no bounds.

And as for “we call it that to annoy people like you” , yeah sure mate, all part of your Master Plan.

yawn.
Larfin Jackarse
May 28th, 2008 at 3:39 am
To Shay and Sid Morrison,

DDT was commenting on Yawn and it is a good point.

As an aside, ain’t no-one more ripped off in society than an ex-vet, especially a wounded one.
Ola Amigo
May 28th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Right Pol X that’s why you brought it up! Cheers Mate!

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