Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Saluting Frank Buckles - Last Living U.S. WWI Veteran
Frank Woodruff Buckles, 108, is the last living United States Veteran of World War I. Since the 2008 anniversary of the Armistice, the last known remaining veteran from Great Britain has passed away. Now, Frank is the "Last Leaf" and he is determined to make the most of his unique position in history.
What is it that Mr. Buckles, an ambulance driver in France, wishes to accomplish? We invite you to visit Frank Buckles' website and learn about his quest for a World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. That's right, after 90 plus years, those who gave their lives in the Great War still have no memorial in our nation's capital.
Not only will you learn how to help right this wrong, you will have an opportunity to sign Buckles' guestbook and thank him for his continuing service to our county. Frank Buckles may be the last, but he certainly was not the least. We salute him today, a real American hero.
Historical tidbit: If you view enough formal portraits of World War I military, you will notice many prominently display their left hands, sometimes placing them under their chins. Why? These doughboys wanted to display their wristwatches, still a relatively rare timepiece until popularized by their advantage in battle situations.
Shoalanda