Mr. Buckles were born in Missouri 1901 and raised in Oklahoma. At age 16 and with the United States entry into World War I, he began visiting a string of recruitment offices to join the "War to End All Wars." He was repeatedly rejected until he convinced an Army Captain that he was 18.
More than 4.7 million people joined the military between 1917 and 1918. By 2007, only three survived. Buckles went to DC that year to serve as grand marshal of the National Memorial Day parade.
The other two survivors were in basic training in the United States when the war ended and never made it overseas. (My grandfather on my mother's side was also in the Army, but never left the country.) The other two survivors died in 2007 and 2008.
After that, Mr. Buckles became somewhat of a celebrity and received many letters every day.
This winter, Buckles began battling colds and a series of minor ailments, but was not ill at the time of his death.
More to Come on the Last Doughboy. --DaCoot
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