Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Oldest American Doughboy turns 110

Rick emails to remind me not to forget, so happy birthday, Frank Buckles:
Born near Bethany, Mo., on Feb. 1, 1901, he moved with his family to a farm outside Walker, Mo., in 1910, where he attended school. In 1916, another move took the family to Oklahoma, but the next year Frank managed to enlist in the U.S. Army at the age of 16. Soon, he was sailing to Europe aboard the HMS Carpathia, rescuer of the HMS Titanic survivors. He was on his way to join other U.S. forces and their allies engulfed in the first World War.
Let me just add that Cpl. Buckles, in his current photograph (at the link), looks particularly dashing sporting his Légion d'honneur, the French Medal of Honor.

The entire Borepatch clan wishes you many happy returns of the day!

1 comment:

phlegmfatale said...

Mr. Buckles looks quite fit and dashing, indeed. Thanks so much for linking this-- it brightened my cold, snowy day!