# 14 WWI U.S. Veterans Still Living **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010 "2006-11-11T15:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/1 "2006-11-11T15:59:44Z")
Fourteen U.S. veterans of World War I are still alive. The youngest is 105. Twelve of their stories can be seen at [http://www.treehouseproductions.org/WWI\_vets.html](http://www.treehouseproductions.org/WWI_vets.html) IMHO we owe these guys a big THANK YOU! You go, guys! Sorry I missed the CNN program yesterday morning. Thank a VETERAN today. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/2 "2006-11-11T16:55:56Z")
One of them just received a medal yesterday, that he had earned in WWI. Better late then never, I suppose, but… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/3 "2006-11-11T21:48:47Z")
Yes. Least we forget. WW One was a long time ago, but the soldiers who died there need remembrance. Perhaps a forgotten war, forgotten cause (for most of us) but they died with honor for their country. Thanks, guys. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/4 "2006-11-11T23:07:57Z")
Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/5 "2006-11-11T23:16:52Z")
Two of the men on that page (Homer Anderson and George Johnson) passed earlier this year. So it’s down to an even dozen, assuming the two men not listed are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![SkiDemon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@SkiDemon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkiDemon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/6 "2006-11-12T01:20:59Z")
I remember in the late '80’s early 90’s, my town’s Fourth of July Parade had a WW I vet marching in it. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/7 "2006-11-12T01:32:57Z")
I heard on the CBC radio tonight that Canada has only three living WWI veterans. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/8 "2006-11-12T02:30:32Z")
I’m feeling old here. I was just saying earlier today that I remember the WWI veterans marching in the parade. These days even the ranks of the WWII vets are thinning like crazy. There’s a [list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_veterans_of_World_War_I) on Wikipedia of surviving WWI veterans worldwide. I can’t vouch for its accuracy, but the two guys from Massachusetts I’ve seen mentioned in the newspapers at least fairly recently. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/9 "2006-11-12T14:16:12Z")
I wonder if there are any German WW1 vets still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/10 "2006-11-12T14:27:07Z")
Does anyone recall the big parade in Heinlein’s short story “The Man Who Traveled in Elephants”? Written to be a contemporary story, in the late 1940’s, a contingent of veterans of different American wars was riding in the parade. One was mentioned as being the oldest, from the GAR. That would have been roughly equivalent to a WWI veteran being alive today. That story always brings tears to my eyes, especially the line that mentions why the old men were riding “\*because, merciful Heaven forgive us, they could not walk.” \* Hug a veteran indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/11 "2006-11-12T15:06:52Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] I wonder if there are any German WW1 vets still alive. [/QUOTE] Yes there is. A couple of weeks ago the BBC ran story showing the oldest British WW1 veteran still alive (Henry Allingham) meeting up with the oldest German WW1 serviceman. Very moving it was. Incidentally Henry (who is aged 100) was in France this week laying a wreath on a war memorial. Here is a news story about him :- [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5098174.stm) ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/12 "2006-11-12T15:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] I heard on the CBC radio tonight that Canada has only three living WWI veterans. [/QUOTE] There’s been discussion of and a great deal of public support for a [state funeral](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061110.wwarvetfun1110/BNStory/National/home) for the last Canadian Veteran. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/13 "2006-11-12T21:03:20Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] Incidentally Henry (who is aged 100) [/QUOTE] 110, actually. I’m not sure that a ten-year-old would have been of much use at the Battle of the Somme. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/14 "2006-11-12T21:08:05Z")
[QUOTE=flurb] 110, actually. I’m not sure that a ten-year-old would have been of much use at the Battle of the Somme. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Very well done that man. I was waiting for somebody to spot that. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/15 "2006-11-13T02:50:59Z")
I just got back from my church’s Veteran’s Day service, where I played [Christmas in the Trenches](http://www.catholic.net/RCC/music/midi/christmas/trench.html). It is a song about a spontaneous Christmas ceasefire during WWI. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/16 "2006-11-13T02:55:48Z")
There is still one Civil War Confederate widow alive as well (I know, the last one died but then another popped up). > **[Confederate widow, 89, lives in Arkansas](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/jun/11/20040611-084206-3427r/)** > > With the announcement last week of the death of Alberta Martin of Alabama, the nation marked the loss of “the last Confederate widow,” as she was inevitably identified. Mrs. Martin’s first husband, William Jasper Martin, had been a Confederate... ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/17 "2006-11-13T03:01:26Z")
[QUOTE=SkiDemon] I remember in the late '80’s early 90’s, my town’s Fourth of July Parade had a WW I vet marching in it. [/QUOTE] This thread makes me feel old. When I was a kid growing up in the 1970s, WWI vets were everywhere, and it was Spanish-American War vets that were increasingly few and far between. Even then, they weren’t as uncommon as WWI vets today. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/18 "2006-11-13T05:48:30Z")
I have a rendezvous with Death At some disputed barricade, When Spring comes back with rustling shade And apple-blossoms fill the air– I have a rendezvous with Death When Spring brings back blue days and fair. It may be he shall take my hand And lead me into his dark land And close my eyes and quench my breath– It may be I shall pass him still. I have a rendezvous with Death On some scarred slope of battered hill, When Spring comes round again this year And the first meadow-flowers appear. God knows 'twere better to be deep Pillowed in silk and scented down, Where love throbs out in blissful sleep, Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath, Where hushed awakenings are dear . . . But I’ve a rendezvous with Death At midnight in some flaming town, When Spring trips north again this year, And I to my pledged word am true, I shall not fail that rendezvous ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/19 "2006-11-13T05:50:17Z")
And I certainly should have amended, and meant to… the poem was written by Alan Seeger, killed in action in 1916 during the battle of the Somme. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010/20 "2006-11-13T14:13:59Z")
I was telling my visiting Dad about this last night. He said he remembered when he was young having a conversation with a veteran… from the Civil War. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-wwi-u-s-veterans-still-living/380010.md?page=2)