Posted on 04/11/2019 9:18:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump treated four World War II veterans to an Oval Office meeting Thursday, fulfilling a birthday wish for 95-year-old Allen Jones and giving three other veterans age 100 and older a day to remember.
One of the men, 101-year-old Floyd Wigfield, of Cumberland, Md., managed to win a promise from the president for a return flight on Air Force One following June’s ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. “We’ll work that out,” Trump said. “You’ll like Air Force One.”
Trump had met Jones at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention last year and Jones, of Cranston, R.I., asked to spend his birthday with the president. Trump looked happy to oblige, joking with the men and their families, and asking each one to say a few words....
(Excerpt) Read more at columbian.com ...
What is the youngest a vet who saw action could have been at the end of the war?
Trying to get an idea of how long we will still have at least some WWII vets with us.
My goodness... 12 years old? So sad what they did to him. He was a true hero.
Several of my relatives served in WWII. One was sent to the front lines right out of high school. Another joined underage because he had nowhere to live, so he lied about his age. He fought in WWII and went on to enjoy a lifelong successful career in the service.
Thanks.
20 by 2040!?!!
Even if they enlisted very underage in 1945 at 15, they would be 110 in 2040.
I guess they expect more people to live that long.
So with my diet and lack of exercise, someone who fought in WWII may outlive me.
That’s impressive!
Hate to see them go.
14 million men enlisted. Wow.
Over 16 million men and women served.
My Father born in 1917 was an Army Air Corps WWII vet. He died in in 1988. He would be 102 this year.
Even bigger wow.
Dam.
My dad served three years in the Signal Corps overseas in WWII.
He mostly talked about the funny stories with fellow soldiers. Wish I had paid more attention at the time. He passed away 14 years ago.
Appreciate President Trump honoring these fine soldiers.
It was a big assed war. Today we couldn’t fight and win another war like it.
A lot of neat figures came our of WW II. For instance, just one of our fleets in the Pacific was bigger than the whole Royal Navy.
We had 99 combat divisions. We were originally scheduled to have 200 but our air power and superior artillery allowed us to have fewer.
There were 38 Army corps. (A corps is 2 or more divisions)Some corps had as many divisions as the whole US Army of today. (10).
200 aircraft carriers of all sizes.
Etc, etc, etc.
My GOD!!!
200 ACCs!!!
I read that Germany had 200 divisions and lost 120 fighting the USSR.
I am glad we didn’t have to lose so many more men if hitler hadn’t made that tragic (for germany) mistake of invading russia.
I read the other day Rommel’s driver is still alive in the desert.
That’s disgusting for what they did to that kid. They should have been shot.
Interesting story on that page. 12 year old kid served, was a hero, when his family was notified mom said he was only 12! The ship’s captain threw him in the brig, and then discharged with no papers.
Don’t be so sure we couldn’t fight another war like it. Our people in uniform are great. They do a hellva job. They are as brave and dedicated as the folks at Bastogne. I don’t think the home folks could support them like back then. Women built most of what our people fought with after 1942. The ladies could still do it, I ain’t so sure about the rest. I have a Gerand that I’m sure ladies built. Vintage summer of 1943, it shoots good. The girls at Springfield Armory did great. It ain’t the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the he size of a he fight in the dog.
American vets would in general be a bit older than those of other combatants. Unless a boy lied about his age, 17 with a parent signature was required. Which means a 17 year old who enlisted in 1945 would now be 91.
I seem to recall the British took boys at 15.
Towards the end, the Germans were using 12-13 year old boys.
I've heard of the Russians using 10-12 year old boys.
I don't know what Japanese, or Chinese age requirements were.
Invading Russia was the entire reason for the war. Any alternate history scenario requires that Hitler not be Hitler.
I seem to recall an old B&W movie about him, or that had a scene based/influenced by him.
I was recently on YouTube and stumbled across episodes of an old B&W TV series titled Combat! Not bad except all the fighting took place in the French and German desert.
In one of the episodes, a replacement in the platoon who recently distinguished himself in combat is found out to be 15 and sent home.
14 million served.
The draft got most of them.
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