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| (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) |
Buckles enlisted in World War I at 16 after lying about his age. He died Sunday on his farm in Charles Town, nearly a month after his 110th birthday. He had devoted the last years of his life to campaigning for greater recognition for his former comrades, prodding politicians to support a national memorial in Washington and working with friend and family spokesman David DeJonge on a biography.
In a May 26, 2008 file photo Frank Buckles receives an American flag during Memorial Day activities at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo.
The family asked that donations be made to the National World War One Legacy Project. The project is managed by the nonprofit Survivor Quest and will educate students about Buckles and WWI through a documentary and traveling educational exhibition.
"We have lost a living link to an important era in our nation's history," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. "But we have also lost a man of quiet dignity, who dedicated his final years to ensuring the sacrifices of his fellow 'Doughboys' are appropriately commemorated."
May he Rest in Peace.
I thought about him a lot today. I wasn't thinking of his being a patriot so much as I was just thinking about his longivity. The thing that struck me was that he died at his home and not in a nursing home. How great to live that long and still be in your own home. I'm pretty much a health nutty person and cleanse and eat what's good for my body and I'll bet you this man was most likely NOT health conscious at all. He just had a strong constitution and was a happy man. How lucky is that. I salute this dear Old Solldier.
ReplyDeleteMellodee,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote such a nice post on that old soldier. It was a pleasure to read it. It feel like we're heading for some kind of war again with all the uprisings in the Middle East. I feel that a woman president would be soooo right for our country. Women can multi-task and budget and all the other thousand things it takes to run a household. Women have vision and can feel when things are right. Look at all the countries that have had women at their heads but never the U.S
I've always thought the draft was a good thing. Defer the kids in college but it would pick up the kids doing crime. My oldest son got in trouble when he was 17. The judge said, "Go to jail or join the military." They can't do that anymore. He joined the Marines and it really did make a patriotic man out of him.
Adios
I fear you may be right about the Middle East. It is a very unstable area! In theory a woman could be a very successful president, however, there does not appear to be any woman who could be a viable candidate who doesn't scare me to death! It appears that the American political system only attracts power hungry, self-serving, politicians whose only concerns relate to getting themselves re-elected and it appears to affect both men and women the same way! I also fear that this country has a while to go before our male dominated society and political system will "allow" a woman to become President.
ReplyDeleteA stint in the service can indeed help some problem kids sort out their lives and get on track to become a solid, responsible adult. Sadly, it doesn't always work though. I
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What an inspiration! laurie
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