Posted on 12/20/2007 11:01:17 PM PST by lunarbicep
The last World War One veteran in Ohio -- and 1 of 3 known remaining U.S. veterans from World War I -- has died.
A funeral home says J. Russell Coffey died yesterday at the age of 109.
Coffey has been living in the Blakely Care Center in North Baltimore.
Coffey didn't see action overseas. He enlisted in the Army while he was a student at Ohio State University in October 1918, a month before the Allied powers and Germany signed a cease-fire agreement.
Coffey played semipro baseball, earned a doctorate in education from New York University, taught in high school and college and raised a family.
He drove his car until he was 104. He lived on his own until three years ago.
Funeral services for Coffey will be held tomorrow.
With all due respect - does it really count if you enlist less than a month before the war ends? I mean, he couldn’t have even been in-processed in that time, could he have been?
Frank Woodruff Buckles, age 106, is the last living WWI U.S. veteran to finish basic training and be stationed overseas prior to the end of the war.
There's only one left who actually was stationed overseas in WWI.
One.
He turns 107 on February 1st.
Lately it has occured to me that mortality sucks. I would be lying if I said that I am not afraid of it.
And actually, Buckles (though he served in France as a driver for officers) did not see combat.
So all of the American WWI combat veterans are gone now.
Doesn’t mortality suck?
Yes indeed, it sucks.
RIP.
Did he know it was going to end at that point?
Yes, I believe it counts. He enlisted with an expectation of fighting for his country. Good enough for me.
When you consider everything he did witness during his life, across the entire spectrum, its pretty staggering.
Rest in Peace, thank you for your service.
It counts. He was a member of the US military during WWI no matter where he served or how long he served. With all due respect, what’s your problem?
My stomach seriously dropped when I read this headline.
Something about these guys no longer being around just makes me very depressed.
No kidding. Born in 1898. He's lived during 3 different centuries. Thats pretty amazing all by itself.
Well at least he served more honorably than Kerry.
‘No kidding. Born in 1898. He’s lived during 3 different centuries. Thats pretty amazing all by itself.’
Exactly.
On the day he was born, William MCKINLEY was the President, if I’m not mistaken.
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