Due to the number of blows received, the Japanese navy believed they had sunk the USS South Dakota and retreated, leaving the American ship to quietly make the long return to port in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. When Did The Last Ww2 Vet Die? - Thelma Thinks Although the Marine Corps had not done a background check on him, they came to learn his true age through his family. Hill fought in two wars: World War II and the Korean War, and received two medals for his service. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He broke his back in a freak accident, and was back selling magazine subscriptions as a civilian. The Navy responded by taking away Calvins medals and issuing him a dishonorable discharge, but not before subjecting him to three brutal months in the brig. He was discovered by the 142 nd Guards Rifle Regiment, wandering in the forest in a state of shock and malnourishment. Earnshaw was the youngest British soldier to die in World War II at age 14. [9][10] By this time, some of the doctors who treated him had died and many medical bills were lost. In buildings across San Antonio you will see the names Bob Kelso and his late wife Betty. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Calvin Graham, the Youngest American to Serve in World War II About 70 million people fought in World War II between 1939 and 1945 and, as of 2022 [update] , there are still approximately 167,000 living veterans in the United States alone. While the minimum age for conscription was 18, 17 year olds could sometimes volunteer with parental consent. WWII Veteran Statistics | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans Hed been following the war headlines in the papers he sold. [6][4] At age 14 he married and became a father the following year. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Previous Occupation(s): Farmer and gardener. Referred to as the most destructive conflict in history, World War II saw the demise of more than 80 million people, most of whom were civilians. His case was similar to that of Jack W. Hill, who was granted significant media attention due to holding service number one million . : Died in 1990 He lives in Anchorage AK . During the War, Krul participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Who is the youngest ww2 vet still alive? Having lost his father before the war along with the rest of his family, he was left an orphan at a very young age. The Germans opened fire and Kelso and his fellow soldiers fought back. The youngest United States Service member that saw combat during World War II was S2/C Calvin Leon Graham assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota 4 October 1942, he was 12 years old. At age 17 he was divorced when he enlisted in the Marine Corps.[6]. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) May 8 marks the 75th anniversary of V-E Day, when World War II came to an end in Europe.In the United States, V-E Day commemorations will honor the 16 million Americans who served during the war, even as only a small share of those veterans are alive today. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10667014/calvin-leon-graham. How many WWII veterans are still alive 2022? The maximum age to join the Army as an enlisted Soldier is 35, while Officers must accept their commission before age 31. , and there is no guarantee that their information is complete and current for all veterans as they are only involved in providing services to veterans and their survivors that apply for them rather than actively tracking all veterans throughout their lives. "I played very small role but I was there," said Kelso. He was sent into battle and wounded - one of the youngest Americans ever to receive the Purple Heart. In 2022, only 167,284 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive, reports the US Department of Veteran Affairs. As the War continued, Walker was involved with the Food Flying Squad whose convoys of trucks took food and water to disaster areas.
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