# WWII Veterans



## Kevin (Sep 15, 2016)

Every time one of my few remaining WWII veteran friends or family dies it just bums me out - to lose another friend or family member but to see that generation vanishing so quickly now. According to the VA nearly 500 die every day now, and we're down to about 800,000 out of the 16 million that served. That 500 per day will grow exponentially as the curve starts to spike upward as they get older, then it will drop again as fewer and fewer are left. Many of us will be alive when the last one dies.

The last WWI vet died at 110 years of age, 93 years after the end of that war. If the last WWII vet were to die 93 years after that war, 2038 will be the death of that generation. Just sort of bums me out to think about it.


The last surviving Revolutionary War Veteran: Daniel F. Bakeman October 9, 1759 – April 5, 1869





The last veteran of the War of 1812: Hiram Cronk April 29, 1800, - May 13, 1905





The last veteran of the Texas Revolution: William Physick Zuber July 6, 1820 - September 22, 1913









The last veterans of the War between the States:

Last Union veteran, Albert Woolson, (February 11, 1850 – August 2, 1956 age 109





Last Confederate veteran, John Salling, May 15, 1856 – March 16, 1959 age 112








The last veteran of the Spanish/American War: Nathan E. Cook October 10, 1885 – September 10, 1992






The last USA & UK veterans of WWI:

UK Florence Beatrice Green February 19, 1901 – February 4, 2012





USA Frank Buckles February 1, 1901 – February 27, 2011






These men and women represent the last of their generation. Thank a WWII vet while you still have a chance. Just because the last one is estimated to be around until 2038 doesn't mean you have that long. They'll be getting real scarce over the next 5 to 10 years.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Great Post 3 | Way Cool 2 | Sincere 5


----------



## Schroedc (Sep 15, 2016)

I think about this a lot as I watch my grandfather. He served in the Pacific in WWII.

Reactions: Sincere 2


----------



## Tony (Sep 15, 2016)

My paternal grandfather was a veteran of Korea and WWII. He died when my father was 12, I never knew him. I wish I had, as I understand he had great stories. Remind me to tell you my favorite one sometime @Kevin, it's a doozy! Tony

Reactions: Sincere 2


----------



## Mike1950 (Sep 15, 2016)

Fil died 2114 almost 91. I agree we are losing one helluva generation of men and women. I wish i could thank every one of them...... thanks for the thread kevin

Reactions: Agree 5


----------



## barry richardson (Sep 15, 2016)

Seems like I remember reading the last vet of WWI passing not long ago too... My mother's oldest brother is 95 (barely hanging on though) and was a tank captain in Patton's army in France, has some great stories. He has been partially deaf ever since coming back from the war, tanks are kinda loud inside, that was before the days of OSHA lol....


----------



## Nature Man (Sep 15, 2016)

I have an elderly friend that was in WWII, in the German Air Force! After war became Canadian citizen and eventually migrated to the U.S. He told me he was in the scientific field during WWII and did not fight. He is in his early 90s. Chuck

Reactions: Way Cool 1


----------



## Mike1950 (Sep 15, 2016)

Fil brother died at battle of bulge christmas 1944.


----------



## ripjack13 (Sep 15, 2016)

my pepere (standing)and his buddy...

Reactions: Way Cool 5


----------



## HomeBody (Sep 16, 2016)

I have one WW2 friend. Roy was in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific. He flew the hump from China to Burma. The route was called the aluminum road due to all the crashed allied planes that hit mountains. He's still in fairly good health and plants a garden every year that make most gardens look sick. Gary

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


----------



## Brink (Sep 16, 2016)

So many men and women WWII vets were so influential to me during my early and teen years. 
My grand father was a Chaplin, but due to double scoliosis, stayed stateside. Worked for years in VA dealing with WWI vets who were horribly injured and gassed. 
One uncle was oiler on tankers sailing from Caribbean to Mediterranean. Another was B-17 tail gunner with 22 missions into Germany. My HS science teach with half a foot, frostbite during battle of bulge. A big powerful man who said once that he's still around because of his BAR. Wife's grandfather who by order of Eisenhower, had to witness concentration camps. A fourth grade teacher who was a WASP, flying bombers from US to England, after the war couldn't get a pilots license because of her gender.
The nurses who worked on hospital ships.
By far, the most memorable was my barber Adolf. A sergeant in the Wehrmacht infantry, Adolf was shot in the face by an exploding bullet on Russian front. Patched up just enough and expected to die, he survived the trip back to Germany. Eventually he made his way to US. He loved his old Germany, despised nazis and wars. People in my hometown still speak fondly of Adolf.
So many of these men and women came home damaged, physically and emotionally. They saw and had to do things that, luckily, very few of us had to do. They continued their lives, and for the most part, the hatred and anger subsided and was replaced with tolerance and understanding.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 3 | Sincere 3


----------



## Tony (Sep 16, 2016)

This is my grandfather George. I have better pictures but not on my phone. My cousin posted the one of him thus the uncle saying. Tony

Reactions: Way Cool 1 | Sincere 2


----------



## Schroedc (Sep 16, 2016)

I know this thread was about the WWII vets but the other group that's fading away and gets overlooked a lot was the Korean War era vets. My maternal grandfather was drafted in 49 and spent his service in Berlin at the start of the cold war.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Great Post 1


----------



## CWS (Sep 16, 2016)

We are still creating physically and emotionally damaged soldiers today. Every day 22 veterans kill themselves because of what they have seen or done. I know I live it every day. Thank you all for letting me be part of this Forum.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Sincere 5


----------



## Tony (Sep 16, 2016)

CWS said:


> We are still creating physically and emotionally damaged soldiers today. Every day 22 veterans kill themselves because of what they have seen or done. I know I live it every day. Thank you all for letting me be part of this Forum.



Thank you and all veterans for your service and sacrifice. Tony

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Kevin (Sep 16, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> I know this thread was about the WWII vets but the other group that's fading away and gets overlooked a lot was the Korean War era vets. My maternal grandfather was drafted in 49 and spent his service in Berlin at the start of the cold war.



Only reason I didn't mention Korea/Nam/Iraq/Afgan is because they'll still be around a while but yea Korean vets get forgotten when vets are mentioned like USCG usually gets forgotten whenever some mentions "Armed Services".

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Mike1950 (Sep 16, 2016)

CWS said:


> We are still creating physically and emotionally damaged soldiers today. Every day 22 veterans kill themselves because of what they have seen or done. I know I live it every day. Thank you all for letting me be part of this Forum.



Thank you for your service Sir.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Mike1950 (Sep 16, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Only reason I didn't mention Korea/Nam/Iraq/Afgan is because they'll still be around a while but yea Korean vets get forgotten when vets are mentioned like USCG usually gets forgotten whenever some mentions "Armed Services".



Uncles brothers were in WWII. all had different experience- Charlie and Al- European front- they talked about it. Don - I think 3rd Marines- Island hoppers Only talked about it occasionally and he had to be shat faced drunk. Not a good experience. Uncle- who is gone also- Korean era but went to germany- Drove tanks. I think about it and many influenced my life- their stories-work ethic- honor and internal toughness. I miss everyone of them..

Reactions: Sincere 2


----------



## Strider (Sep 18, 2016)

I have a bad dark humor joke to brighten things up but I will sit it through.
WW2 was bad in our country, and the political ideology and differences still last today, breed and nourish hate. That is why we don't quite have commemorations except massacres done by bith sides. Never met someone from the war. Grandpa, though, had some really funny stories including post war explosives and cows.


----------



## gman2431 (Sep 19, 2016)

http://www.9and10news.com/story/331...rs-help-find-missing-98-year-old-man-in-woods

@Kevin I seen this and it reminded me of your thread here. Tough ole boy there!

Reactions: +Karma 1


----------



## Mike1950 (Sep 20, 2016)

Unbelievable that this plane made it back and landed. This generation will be missed.

Reactions: Agree 3


----------



## Blueglass (Sep 20, 2016)

Pretty much all my great uncles and my grandfather were all Navy during WWII. My Uncle Jerry who was among my favorite people to walk this earth was in 3 of the 4 major battles of the Pacific. I loved his stories and wish I would have recorded them. When he found out I joined the Navy as an engineer he chewed my a$$ up and down for picking the hardest job on the ship. Ten minutes later he was telling me about running out on the deck to push Kamikaze planes off before they exploded. I never had to do that and I can assure everybody my tour of duty was a cake walk compared to his. He was a complete smart ass and not always in a nice way but I sure miss the hell out of him.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Tclem (Sep 20, 2016)

Don't forget about @Mike1950 he is a WWI vet


----------

