Conserving, celebrating, and contributing to the excellence that is Western Civilization.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Last From The Great War
Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of World War I, who also survived a Japanese POW camp in WWII, died peacefully, earlier today at the age of 110.
. . .On 6 April 1917, the United States entered the Great War and patriotic posters appeared in the post offices.
Enlistment When summer vacation came, I was invited to the Kansas State Fair in Wichita. While there, I went to the Marine Corps recruiting office to enlist. I said that I was 18, but the understanding sergeant said that I was too young; I had to be 21. I went to Lamed, Kansas, to visit my father’s mother who was living with my aunt and uncle who owned a bank in Larned. A week later, I returned to Wichita and went to the Marine recruiting station. This time I stated that I was 21. The same sergeant gave me a physical examination, but kindly told me that I was just not heavy enough. I tried the Navy and passed the tests, but they were perhaps suspicious of my age and told me that I was flat-footed.
I decided to try elsewhere, so I went to Oklahoma City. There I had no luck with either the Marines or the Navy. I then tried the Army, but was asked for a birth certificate. I told them that the public records were not made of births in Missouri at the time I was born, and my record would be in the family Bible. They accepted this and I enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1917. Thirteen of us were accepted at the recruiting station and given rail tickets to Fort Logan, Colorado, where those who were accepted were sworn into the regular U. S. Army. My serial number was 15577.
Wow, 110! And still driving his tractor at 106. The man came from good stock. I was so impressed by his determination to get to France and take part in WWII. Heck, imagine going to Oklahoma by rail at 15. People like this made America great.
And ironically, he was a taken captive by the Japanese and a POW for 3 years as a civilian, if I read the story correctly.
Thanks for the post, Dances, I saw earlier today that he had passed away but they didn't give many details.
A saeculum is a length of time roughly equal to the potential lifetime of a person or the equivalent of the complete renewal of a human population...
Originally it meant the period of time from the moment that something happened (for example the founding of a city) until the point in time that all people who had lived at the first moment had died...
By the 2nd century BC, Roman historians were using the saeculum to periodize their chronicles and track wars. At the time of the reign of emperor Augustus, the Romans decided that a saeculum was 110 years.
RIP Mr. Buckles. This story really tugs at the heartstrings. To think that our last connection with that Great and horrible war is gone leaves a mist where a man once stood.
A saeculum. Hmmn...Mr. Buckles represents the saeculum from World War 1...
Great word lewy; it captures the relentless march of time, and perhaps a touch of wistfulness and loss.
This was a young man who WANTED to serve:
ReplyDelete. . .On 6 April 1917, the United States entered the Great War and patriotic posters appeared in the post offices.
Enlistment
When summer vacation came, I was invited to the Kansas State Fair in Wichita. While there, I went to the Marine Corps recruiting office to enlist. I said that I was 18, but the understanding sergeant said that I was too young; I had to be 21. I went to Lamed, Kansas, to visit my father’s mother who was living with my aunt and uncle who owned a bank in Larned. A week later, I returned to Wichita and went to the Marine recruiting station. This time I stated that I was 21. The same sergeant gave me a physical examination, but kindly told me that I was just not heavy enough. I tried the Navy and passed the tests, but they were perhaps suspicious of my age and told me that I was flat-footed.
I decided to try elsewhere, so I went to Oklahoma City. There I had no luck with either the Marines or the Navy. I then tried the Army, but was asked for a birth certificate. I told them that the public records were not made of births in Missouri at the time I was born, and my record would be in the family Bible. They accepted this and I enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1917. Thirteen of us were accepted at the recruiting station and given rail tickets to Fort Logan, Colorado, where those who were accepted were sworn into the regular U. S. Army. My serial number was 15577.
Dances, thanks for posting the details of Frank's story.
ReplyDeleteI believe he was 110 when he passed - he was born Feb 1, 1901.
Amazing.
---
Frank's story got me to thinking about the 20th century. The punk rock band "Gang of Four" had an album called "A Brief History of the 20th Century":
imgw:"http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/lewy14/B000005JB601LZZZZZZZ.jpg"
Two slogans on two French coins. Pithy, and insightful. (Music probably not anyone's cuppa, 'cept Jourdan!)
Here's my own version: the 20th century in 4 sentences:
- War was discredited.
- War was rehabilitated.
- War was discredited again.
- War was rehabilitated again.
Could spend a thousand pages fleshing that one out.
Our last physical connection to WWI is gone.
ReplyDeleteWow, 110! And still driving his tractor at 106. The man came from good stock. I was so impressed by his determination to get to France and take part in WWII. Heck, imagine going to Oklahoma by rail at 15. People like this made America great.
And ironically, he was a taken captive by the Japanese and a POW for 3 years as a civilian, if I read the story correctly.
Thanks for the post, Dances, I saw earlier today that he had passed away but they didn't give many details.
Odd, that. Mr. Buckles entered the Great War a week before my uncle was killed at Vimy after three years of being in theatre...
ReplyDeletePershing's Last Patriot is due for release sometime this year. I hope I can remember to look for it...not available for "saves" on NetFlix yet.
ReplyDeleteOur last physical connection to WWI is gone.
ReplyDeleteSaeculum:
A saeculum is a length of time roughly equal to the potential lifetime of a person or the equivalent of the complete renewal of a human population...
Originally it meant the period of time from the moment that something happened (for example the founding of a city) until the point in time that all people who had lived at the first moment had died...
By the 2nd century BC, Roman historians were using the saeculum to periodize their chronicles and track wars. At the time of the reign of emperor Augustus, the Romans decided that a saeculum was 110 years.
link
Ironic! And fascinating too, thanks, lewy.
ReplyDelete(lord knows I'll never remember that word though...)
Thanks, Lewy - I did not do my own math to figure his age, just accepted what I read.
ReplyDeleteRIP Mr. Buckles. This story really tugs at the heartstrings. To think that our last connection with that Great and horrible war is gone leaves a mist where a man once stood.
ReplyDeleteA saeculum. Hmmn...Mr. Buckles represents the saeculum from World War 1...
Great word lewy; it captures the relentless march of time, and perhaps a touch of wistfulness and loss.