Military Figure. He was America's oldest and last World War I Combat Veteran. Born in Manhattan, Montana, he volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1917 and was among the first American troops to join the fighting in Europe. His unit took part in the final push against the German army in the fall of 1918. An exploding artillery shell during one October battle cost him most of his hearing. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Victory Medal with four battle clasps and a Silver Star. After his discharge from the Army in 1919, he returned to Montana, worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad and the state liquor warehouse in Helena. In 1998 at age 102, he was awarded France's Legion of Honor Medal, that country's highest honor. He was interviewed in 2001 at age 104, for an oral history project of the Library of Congress. When asked how he has lived so long, he said he smoked cigars, chewed snuff and drank Jack Daniels all his life. At age 105, he still made it his daily chore at the nursing home to raise the American flag each morning and take it in each evening. He passed away in the Evergreen Nursing Home in Clancy, Montana at age 107.
Military Figure. He was America's oldest and last World War I Combat Veteran. Born in Manhattan, Montana, he volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1917 and was among the first American troops to join the fighting in Europe. His unit took part in the final push against the German army in the fall of 1918. An exploding artillery shell during one October battle cost him most of his hearing. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Victory Medal with four battle clasps and a Silver Star. After his discharge from the Army in 1919, he returned to Montana, worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad and the state liquor warehouse in Helena. In 1998 at age 102, he was awarded France's Legion of Honor Medal, that country's highest honor. He was interviewed in 2001 at age 104, for an oral history project of the Library of Congress. When asked how he has lived so long, he said he smoked cigars, chewed snuff and drank Jack Daniels all his life. At age 105, he still made it his daily chore at the nursing home to raise the American flag each morning and take it in each evening. He passed away in the Evergreen Nursing Home in Clancy, Montana at age 107.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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WORLD WAR I
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