born february february united_states_army soldier surviving american veteran world war enlisted age served detachment fort riley driving near lines europe world war captured japanese forces working shipping business spent years philippines civilian prisoner war married san_francisco moved near west_virginia age worked farm age years honorary chairman world war memorial foundation chairman advocated establishment world war memorial similar war memorials end campaigned district_of_columbia war memorial renamed testified congress support cause met president white house awarded world war victory medal conclusion conflict following medal creation funeral march arlington national cemetery president barack_obama paying respects prior ceremony military honors early life education born farmer née missouri february older brothers roy older sisters grace family members lived long lives remembered speaking grandmother born father lived ancestry included soldiers frank known wood brother contracted scarlet fever frank survived died disease age attended school walker missouri later family moved oklahoma continued schooling worked bank amateur wireless operator avid reader newspapers world war interwar years months american entry world war sought enlist armed forces turned marine_corps small navy claimed flat feet fared better army accepted adult looked older years sergeant advised middle initial helpful adopted uncle sergeant suggested quickest way lines seek position driving enlisted august went basic training fort riley kansas later year embarked europe aboard troop ship war drove army england france later recalled service shortage blown bodies needed rushed nearest medical care british french troops bad shape guys age looked old tired years living dying inside dirt trench know french happy believed wrap thing month head home harvest words typical americans wants need help winning war saw war impact children france years later remember helping feed armistice escorted prisoners war germany german prisoner gave belt inscribed mit english god kept rest life promoted corporal september following honorable discharge november returned united_states aboard uss early interwar period attended dedication kansas_city missouri honor americans died world war met general armies commanded europe war attended business school found work shipping company toronto canada served new_york_city worked financial services came career chief cargo passenger ships travelling south_america europe asia 1930s german british passengers expressed fears nazis military officers told germany war witnessed effects ashore germany warned acquaintances germany country brought adolf_hitler encountered german hotel employed sea great depression army bonus father struggling farmer oklahoma dust bowl provided details decades later world war employed american president shipping companies year shipping business took manila philippines outbreak pacific war invasion philippines reportedly remained manila help resupply troops captured january japanese forces spent years months civilian santo prison camps prisoner battled starvation receiving small meal served tin cup kept rest life weight pounds developed led fellow captives counter effects imprisonment captors showed little mercy allowed grow small garden help feed children imprisoned captives freed following raid allied forces february war fluent german spanish portuguese french end learned japanese world war moved san_francisco married years later couple bought acre km2 west_virginia raised cattle ancestors named settled near centuries earlier child born world traveller settled life farm activities social events serving officer eventually president county historical society died daughter moved farm care active start 21st century continued living near west_virginia driving tractor farm age stated interview washington_post veterans day believed united_states war emergency stated country needs right way felt young way feel today asked secret long life replied hopeful key traits adding start die don interview talked exercise healthy diet survive joined actor lead memorial day parade evening life featured death year old february surviving american veteran world war following month met united_states president white house day attended opening pentagon exhibit featuring photos world war veterans defense secretary attendance summer visited wounded soldiers honorary chairman world war memorial foundation seeks refurbishment district_of_columbia war memorial establishment national world war memorial national mall named abc person week march recognition efforts set memorial efforts continued appeared congress december advocating behalf legislation oldest person testified congress armistice day veterans day appeal national memorial washington honor americans sacrificed lives world war eve veterans day american people world help asking elected officials pass law memorial world war nation capital difficult times asking elaborate fitting right memorial place commemorating great conflicts past century anniversary armistice time forward honor gratitude resolve passage legislation remained doubt opponents sought relocation proposed monument alternatively benefit district_of_columbia july senator concerned memorial lead national mall longtime member west_virginia oldest interests included member active years sons confederate veterans life member february birthday official biographer announced forthcoming documentary entitled patriot described cumulative work interviews estimated release documentary actor expected film late giving media interviews birthday february february died natural causes home age years days second oldest living man united_states time death died days later commemoration funeral meet criteria burial arlington national cemetery combat friends family secured special permission federal government accomplished help met history intervened white_house final resting place death february president barack_obama ordered american flag flown half staff government buildings including white_house day march buried arlington leading march funeral governors states likewise called lowering states flags half staff united_states senate passed resolution march honoring veteran represent extraordinary legacy world war veterans concurrent resolutions proposed senate house_of_representatives lie honor united_states capitol plan blocked speaker senate majority leader asked explanation elaborate reasons decision instead advocated ceremony people supported ceremony including daughter great grandson sir winston_churchill republican_party presidential nominee faculty students high school missouri gathered honor march home church held memorial service attended episcopal bishop west_virginia members family march ceremony held liberty memorial kansas_city missouri honor passing great war generation speaker chairman ceremony arlington national cemetery memorial chapel preceded march ceremony prior burial president barack_obama vice president paid respects met family flag coffin borne burial plot horse drawn folded flag handed daughter united_states_army vice chief staff general buried military honors plot near general armies reporter washington_post summed occasion ritual grave farewell man crowd powerful ordinary president obama vice president laborers store heads came salute deceased generation vanished millions soldiers sailors came symbolize end west_virginia march held memory attendees donations planned statue addition veteran world war oldest world war veteran world time death field veteran war following death funeral surviving world war veterans served died green died february honors awards service world war received united_states government world war victory medal overseas service bars qualified postwar service europe year received medal created qualify prisoner war medal civilian time imprisonment japanese resident west_virginia involved years including president honor emeritus officer conferred organization french president awarded france service world war united_states library congress included information experiences world wars available including minute video interview section passes home named honor west_virginia governor following month received veterans foreign wars gold medal merit liberty memorial sat portrait displayed national world war museum received scottish rite knight commander september
Frank Buckles