Lloyd Brown, the Last Navy Veteran of WWI

Lloyd Brown served on the USS New Hampshire. He lied about his age and was only 16 when he signed up to serve his country. He joined because all the boys who were in the service were making headlines, and all the girls liked someone in uniform. He was 105 when he died in 2007, and was the last US Navy Veteran of WWI.

Harry Landis, One of the last...

Harry R. Landis joined the Army in October of 1918, and barely served a month before the Armistice was signed. That one month of his 108 year long life earned him the distinction of being one of the last two American WWI Veterans. He never thought much of his time in the Military, and couldn't understand why he was "famous." The fact that he was one of the last American Vets only surfaced in the last year or two of his life. He had excellent health up until his last week, passing away in February 2008.

Howard V. Ramsey- Oregon's Last WWI Veteran

Howard V. Ramsey was 108 when he died in February 2007. At the time he was the last WWI Veteran in the state of Oregon. He served as a truck driver- ferrying officers, carrying water to the front line troops in France, and bringing back the bodies of those killed in action.

A little French girl once asked him for a souvenir. He managed to find a penny to give her, and she in return gave him a lock of her hair wrapped up like a little present. He kept her lock of hair until the day he died.

Harry Patch, Last to Fight in the Trenches

Harry Patch, British World War I Veteran, is the last "Tommy" who fought in the trenches. He is 110 years old. He is the last survivor of the Battle of Passchendaele, which waged for three months and left a Half-Million Allied soldiers dead or wounded. Harry and four others were hit when a German shell exploded- Harry was one of two who survived.

For 80 years, he never watched a War film, never spoke of the War, not even to his family. Only after he turned 100 did he finally recount the horrors he experienced. 90 years later, he still has nightmares about the trenches and losing his friends. Hearing him talk of it, you can see a sadness about him as if it happened yesterday. To him it DID happen yesterday.

Frank Woodruff Buckles, Last American WWI Veteran

Frank Woodruff Buckles, age 107, is the last survivng American Veteran of World War I. While in the service, he sailed on the Carpathia, the ship that rescued the survivors from the Titanic. He is more than likely also the last living person who sailed on the Carpathia. During World War II he was working for a shipping line and was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines, spending three years in a prison camp. Over the years as he would read Veterans magazines, he noticed the number of WWI Veterans becoming smaller and smaller, until now, much to his surprise, he is the last.
He was most gracious in his reply, typing a short letter, and sending along several photographs, each item bearing his signature.

John F. Babcock, Canadian WWI Veteran

John F. Babcock, age 108, is an American citizen who also happens to be the last living Canadian World War I Veteran. He has lived in the USA for about 85 years. The picture is of him in uniform about 1918. He kindly took the time to write a short letter thanking me for the drawing, and also included a recent signed photo.

Franz Kunstler, World War I Veteran, Austria-Hungary

Franz Kunstler was the last surviving WWI Veteran from any of the Central Powers, having served in the Austro-Hungarian military. He was a museum guide in Germany up until shortly before his death at age 107 on May 27, 2008. One of his grandsons provided me with the photo I used, taken shortly after the War. He signed this just a few months before his passing.

Henry Allingham, World War I Veteran

As we approach the 90th Anniversary of the end of World War One, I would like to pay tribute to those last few Veterans of "The War to End All Wars." There are about nine left worldwide as of this writing (depending on which source you check, the number varies). In most cases their minds are still sharp and talking of the War is still quite emotional nearly a century later. Henry Allingham of England, the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, and the last founding member of the Royal Flying Corps, signed his name, his years of service, and his birth date (June 6, 1896). The picture shows him in uniform from WWI. When he signed this he had just turned 110 years old.