15 MAR--This Day in US Military History

2015-03-15T11:07:41-04:00

2010 - The passing of the United States generation that fought in World War I is marked by the funeral of Frank Buckles, who died on 27 February 2011, aged 110, and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Frank Woodruff Buckles (born Wood Buckles, February 1, 1901 – February 27, 2011) was a United States Army soldier and the last surviving American veteran of World War I. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and served with a detachment from Fort Riley, driving ambulances and motorcycles near the front lines in Europe.
During World War II, he was captured by Japanese forces while working in the shipping business, and spent three years in the Philippines as a civilian prisoner. After the war, Buckles married in San Francisco and moved to Gap View Farm near Charles Town, West Virginia. A widower at age 98, he worked on his farm until the age of 105.
In his last years, he was Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. As chairman, he advocated the establishment of a World War I memorial similar to other war memorials in Washington, D.C.. Toward this end, Buckles campaigned for the District of Columbia War Memorial to be renamed the National World War I Memorial. He testified before Congress in support of this cause, and met with President George W. Bush at the White House. Buckles was awarded the World War I Victory Medal at the conclusion of that conflict, and the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal retroactively following the medal’s creation in 1941, as well as the French Legion of Honor in 1999.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/march-15/

March 15

15 March The Ides of March. In the ancient Roman calendar the 15th day of March, May, July and Oct. or the 13th day of the other months. 1493 - Christopher Columbus returned to Spain, conc...

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 2:16 PM

2015-03-15T14:16:40-04:00

I remember reading Buckles' story in the halls of the Pentagon. They have a great display of photos of the last living WWI vets. Those folks were something. The ones highlighted were either close to or older than 100 years old.

Here's a picture of some of the photos.

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Mar 15 at 2015 3:35 PM

2015-03-15T15:35:17-04:00

God bless.