Last WWI Veteran Honored
Week of March 17, 2008

Frank Woodruff Buckles, a 105-year-old WWI veteran was honored at a ceremony at the Pentagon for being America's last living veteran of the first global military conflict. Buckles was a 16-year-old farm boy from Missouri when he fulfilled a dream of becoming a Soldier by enlisting on Aug. 14, 1917. For more information about World War I, including educational materials, visit the Department of Defense's The Great War website, a photo essay that includes recent photographs of Mr. Buckles, the National Museum of the United States Air Force's WWI Fact Sheet, and the WWW Virtual Library's WWI: The Great War 1914-1918 webpage.
http://www.defenselink.mil/PhotoEssays/PhotoEssaySS.aspx?ID=620
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2008/0308_ww1/

This morning's Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reports that the Frogs buried their last known WWI vet this week.

Germany's last died on New Year's Day.

For the record, as "hip" as it's been to give the French grief over their willingness to put it on the line in recent years, it should be noted that they lost well over 1,000,000 soldiers in The Great War.

I feel like I was cheated in high school when it came to WWI.  We went from the assassination to the treaty in what seemed like 20 minutes.  Then we were into WWII.

WWI can be very confusing to read about, but I find it all too fascinating. It and the Korean War seem to be the forgotten wars.    

--Last edited by Ken Cornett on 2008-03-18 16:42:05 --

You're right Ken about how quickly history is glossed over.  I recall (hard as it is to go back that far) that there generally was a good bit on the Revolution and Civil War then a little on WWI and then a lot of WWII an nothing on Korea that I can recall.

Viet Nam took place while I was in high school so you got that first hand on the news every night.

Having said that, perhaps Korean Vets have not been as vocal and certainly not as celebrated as WWII.  My brother served in Korea and virtually never would talk about it.  Perhaps PTSD, or just him.

At last year's Veterans Day parade in Jacksonville, we had a WWI vet ride in the parade. He passed away that afternoon. I am glad he was able to go out after seeing everyone saluting him and all veterans for the sacrifices they ALL have made. Although this is not Veterans Day or Memorial Day, I will always salute anyone who has donned a uniform in defense of our rights and way of life.