Last WWI US Combat Veteran Laid to Rest

[MrBern]

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,128041,00.html


snip:
Retired Army Cpl. Howard V. Ramsey, Oregon's last living World War I veteran and the last known U.S. combat veteran of WWI, died in his sleep Feb. 22 at an assisted living center in southeast Portland. He was honored in a memorial service attended by nearly 200 people at Lincoln Memorial Park exactly one month before reaching his 109th birthday.

"This is a very historic occasion; we lay to rest today our nation's oldest combat veteran," said Pastor Stu Weber, who officiated over Ramsey's memorial service.

 

[Feng_Li]

Saw that in the paper.

T'won't be long before the WWII vets are all gone, as well.

May he rest in peace.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I wonder if there is any other WWI combat veteran that is still living, but is not on record.

 

[Spitfire]

I wonder if there is any other WWI combat veteran that is still living, but is not on record.

If you are thinking globally, there propably is.

 

[dhermann1]

RAF veteran

Wasn't there a post here about a 110 year old RAF veteran? The story is in the Times of London. An original RAF member. 110 in the shade! And still sharp.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

I believe we discussed this in another thread recently. France and Canada both have plans to hold celebrations honoring their WW1 veterans when the last of them passes. As I recall, the consensus in the thread was that it was a shame the U.S. would not do the same.

 

[Doh!]

There was actually a quite touching -- and funny -- episode of Cheers where a WWI vet showed up at the bar for a reunion, and by the end of the episode the gang figured out that he was the last living guy in his unit. They celebrated with him and then volunteered to do the same on the next anniversary. The kicker was along the lines of, "No thanks. You people are boring."

 

[dhermann1]

WWI

The difference is that the US had something 150,000 killed (maybe less) in "The Great War", Britain about a million, France and Germany close to two million, unimaginable numbers. We can't conceive of the impact it had. The French fought their hearts out. We make jokes about the French collapse in WWII, but it was mainly because of the eviscerating effect of the First War. 60,000 English dead in one day at the Somme, and they kept going day after day till it was hundreds of thousands killed . . . in one battle alone.

 

[Spitfire]

This monument at Somme made a great impact on me.
All the white mablesides are covered with names of british and commonwealth soldiers from the great war. I don't know how many there were, but you can propably figure out, that we are talking several thousands.
They were just the names of soldiers who dissapeared in that one battle on the Somme. Killed and dissapeared in the mud, blown to pieces - several times - never to be found.
Talk about losses. Talk about blodbath.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Surviving WW2 Veteran

If you are thinking globally, there propably is.

Certainly. In the UK, there are two. 109 year old Mr Harry Patch of Wells in Somerset (where I am planning to retire) and claims the distinction of being the last man on the allied side who fought in the trenches' (the other survivor, who is older, was a flier).

Mr Patch was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bristol two years ago and is a celebrity in Wells, where he lives in a retirement home. I have had the pleasure of meeting him and talking to him about his experiences.


Alan

 

[Edward]

This monument at Somme made a great impact on me.
All the white mablesides are covered with names of british and commonwealth soldiers from the great war. I don't know how many there were, but you can propably figure out, that we are talking several thousands.
They were just the names of soldiers who dissapeared in that one battle on the Somme. Killed and dissapeared in the mud, blown to pieces - several times - never to be found.
Talk about losses. Talk about blodbath.

I must try and find out more about my family history on this - I know I've mentioned it elsewhere on the FL before. A great great uncle of mine and his best mate - both 14 at the time - doctored their birth certificates and ran away to join up. They ended up in the Somme at 15 - his mate had his head blown clean off, so the story goes, standing beside him in the trench. GGU was captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW. His mate's name should be on that monument, i expect, must ask what it was.

 

[RedPop4]

Interesting. I missed this thread the first time around.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Certainly. In the UK, there are two. 109 year old Mr Harry Patch of Wells in Somerset (where I am planning to retire) and claims the distinction of being the last man on the allied side who fought in the trenches' (the other survivor, who is older, was a flier).

Mr Patch was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bristol two years ago and is a celebrity in Wells, where he lives in a retirement home. I have had the pleasure of meeting him and talking to him about his experiences.


Alan

Wells is a lovely place. Although I have spent less them there then in nearby Street......You have to wait at the Wells bus station to continue on to Street, coming from Bristol.

Lovely memories indeed