FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: CPL Frank Buckles ~ February 15, 2010

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

CPL Frank Buckles
All info and photos from this website.

           

Frank Woodruff Buckles (born February 1, 1901) is, at age 109, the last living American veteran of World War I.  He currently lives at Gap View Farm, near Charles Town, West Virginia and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

Buckles was born in Bethany, Missouri. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in World War I in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, “I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917." Before being accepted into the United States Army, he was turned down by the Marine Corps due to his slight weight.

In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the RMS Carpathia, which had rescued Titanic survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving ambulances and motorcycles for the Army's 1st Fort Riley Casualty Detachment. After the Armistice in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met General John "Black Jack" Pershing, commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in Manila, Philippines. He was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the Los Baños prison camp. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed beriberi, yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the 330-acre Gap View Farm in West Virginia. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

Buckles currently lives near Charles Town, West Virginia. Buckles stated in an interview with The Washington Post on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only "when it's an emergency."  When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: "Hope", adding, "[W]hen you start to die... don't." He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, "I never got in a hurry."

The U.S. Library of Congress included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles' experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.  Buckles' life was featured on the Memorial Day 2007 episode of NBC Nightly News.

On March 6, 2008, he met with President Bush at the White House.  The same day, he attended the opening of a Pentagon exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles and Canadian veteran John Babcock are left. Babcock was unable to attend.

Buckles has said he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was eligible for cremation and placement in a columbarium at Arlington, but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy.  Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted Ross Perot, whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with the White House, and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation, which seeks refurbishment of the District of Columbia War Memorial and its establishment as the National World War I Memorial on the National Mall. Buckles appeared before Congress on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.  On February 1, 2010, on Buckles' 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film--currently in production--on Buckles' life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles

For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the World War I Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal. In addition, French president Jacques Chirac awarded him France's Légion d'honneur.

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Gold Medal of Merit at the Liberty Memorial. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the National World War I Museum, as "the last surviving link".

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

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Thank you to Ms. Behavin for the heads up about this wonderful hero!

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, They're fighting for our Freedom.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

God Bless Our Republic

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up

[SandRat]

In.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please note: The author of the Hall of Heroes is StarCMC.
Please thank her for today’s thread.

Hall of Heroes: Cpl Frank Buckles

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[freedumb2003]

Bronze?

[SandRat]

Bless you and comfort you; Thank You.

[freedumb2003]

Please put me back on the ping list. I REALLY enjoy the canteen and I now have the bandwidth to handle it.

Happy to be back :)

And as always, my ongoing prayers for the health and safety of our military, our allies and their collective families.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Honoring Our Heroes

2LT Rebecca USA (Daughter of U S Army EOD)
3 sons (armymarinemom and amdad)
AbnSarge USA
Allegra
Anoreth USCG (daughter of Tax-chick)
aviator USAF
Brett USN (CindyDawg)
Brother and Son-in-Law (kalee)
Cannoneer No. 4
CAPT Future Snake Eater USA (RightOnline)
CAPT Jason Clendenin (friend of Frou)
Chris USA (amom)
Chuck USA (RightOnline)
COL Mike (gpapa)
CMS USA
ConorMacNessa USN USMC
David USAF (LUV W)
Defender2
Deven USA (Shimmer)
Ethan USMC (georgiabelle)
Fred (DocRock)
GulfWar1Vet USA
IS2 Brianne USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
IS2 Heather USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
Jade Falcon USN
JemiansTerror USA (Jemian)
Jet Jaguar USAF
Joel (NEMDF)
Jonathan USMC (AZbushgal)
Josh USN (doug from upland)
Karen USA (fatima's granddaughter)
Kenneth (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
Kevin USMC (skimask)
Kevin and David USA (vigilante2)
Laurita USA
LCpl Carter USMC
LCpl Joe USMC (Don’tMessWithTexas)
Lindsay (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
LT David (Coldwater Creek)
M1911A1 USMC (M0sby)
M1Tanker
Major joma89 USAF
MEG33's Navy Grandson
Michael USAR (RightOnline)
Mike1Sg USA (mystery-ak)
Milo828 USA (mystery-ak)
Nate USN (sneakers)
Old Sarge USA
OneLoyalAmerican USCG
PFC Alan USA (brother-in-law Stonewall Jackson)
PFC Dan USA (son of swmobuffalo)
PFC Jake USMC (son of Enough_Deceit)
Philetus USA
Pvt Alex USA (son of Enough_Deceit)
Robert, Jeremy, Daynnis USA (SoldierDad)
Sat-Com Chris USA (son of KC Burke)
SGT Ev USA (Mozie)
SGT Gray USA (colorcountry’s son)
SGT Sean Reed (preed)
Son USCG (GodBlessUSA)
SPC Mike USA (AbnSarge)
SPC William Akin USA (Step-son of BlueLancer)
SrA The Black Knight USAF
SSG Brian USA (repubmom)
SSG Dustin USA (SIL of U S Army EOD)
SSG Dusty USA (MountainDad)
SSG Mitchel USA (tina07)
SSG Spencer USA (grame)
SSGT Don May Jr USMC (debm29palms)
SSGT John Linde USA (JFoxbear)
Terrence USN (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
The Sailor
tongue-tied USN/USA
Tonkin USN/USCG
txradioguy USA
USAFSecurityForces (son of visualops & TheStickman)
Valerie USAF (Shimmer)
Victor and Tony D USMC (weldgophardline)
William USA (jackv)

 

[MeekMom]

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

(Click on graphics for music)

[MeekMom]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[SevenofNine]

Breaking news folks look like car that carry Joe Biden was fender bender

mpoppel (BNO NEWS) — Van in Vice President Biden’S motorcade involved in an accident, two members of the U.S. Olympic Games Delegation injured.

Everybody has cut and bruises

[SevenofNine]

Look like Godzilla be happy

BreakingNews Japan’s economic growth tops bullish predictions, GDP on pace for annual gain of 4.6% - AP

[SevenofNine]

Here update from other Twitter forum I go on

WireUpdate Two members of US Olympic Games Delegation injured in crash - http://bit.ly/a9I5OT

[SevenofNine]

Speaking of China they grow 11% more

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a0mO8LEQPE1A

[BigSkyFreeper]

Above: Unmarked police car

 CBS5.com

[BigSkyFreeper]

Nevermind this was an old article.

[Kathy in Alaska]

It’s a done deal, free...hurrah for the bandwidth. ((HUGS))

Thanks for the ongoing prayers...they are so in need as these are tough times for our “military, our allies and their collective families”.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Nana Hope, for today's Pledge. Thanks, AfghanMan and Penguin Girl, for your service to America.