Over the years, Marchand would return to the sport, and eventually set several records in his old age. The movie brought in a little money for Calvin before his death in 1992 at age 62. The current policies permit tattoos almost anywhere on the body except for on the head and face. Frank Buckles, Americas last surviving World War I veteran, has died at age 110. In December 2020, Margaret Reed became one of the oldest people in the world to receive the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. While the minimum age for conscription was 18, 17 year olds could sometimes volunteer with parental consent. So, there he was, on April 1, 1943, a wounded war veteran without disability benefits still not yet a teenager. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. And his story is one of the saddest youll ever hear. They also may be restricted in sharing specific names and birth dates of individuals for reasons of privacy. Calvins story reached a national stage in 1988 when CBS released the made-for-TV movie, Too Young the Hero starring Rick Schroder as Calvin. Krul arrived in Galveston, Texas not long after World War II started, and he enlisted in the United States Army. Some of his teeth were knocked out. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He served in the Army, the Army Air Forces, and he was there for the beginning of the U.S. Air Force. Their ranks are continuing to steadily decline, however, and the vast majority of those alive in 2020 are in their 90s while some are considerably older. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Navy from Houston, Texas on August 15, 1942, at the age of 12. Like many Americans, Bob Kelso signed up to fight in World War Two. Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! Marchand had been into cycling his entire life, but as a young man he was told by his coach that he would never make it professionally. He fell through three stories of the ship. The South Dakota and her crew received a Navy Unit Commendation for the action. After finishing 7th grade in 1944 he signed up for the draft, claiming to be 18. "They killed one of our guys," Kelso said. He passed away at the age of 112. When Calvin Graham was 11 years old, he began shaving, convinced it would make him look older than he was. The South Dakota returned to the East Coast on December 18, 1942, for an overhaul and battle damage repairs (she had taken 42 hits from at least three enemy ships) in New York City, and since then, was named "Battleship X" in order to make the Japanese think she had been sunk. Ricky Schroder plays Graham in the movie Too Young the Hero. . However, though Calvin Graham was driven and determined to fight, as many of his relatives had before him, he was unprepared for some of the trials of war. Now 92 years old, the boyish looks may be a distant memory. Lawrence Brooks was drafted into the US Army at 31 and spent World . [6][4] At age 14 he married and became a father the following year. His real age was discovered when a former shipmate was looking for his grave, which was unmarked. After the war, Brooks worked as a fork lift operator until he retired at 70. But - he was only 13. Although I am, with 85 years on the planet, currently finishing up my write of the sequel, with one character who served in Vietnam, two others in Korea; so am grateful for this site that gives me a bit more information, and glad to find that a few WWII are still with us. He attempted to go back to school, get married, and start a life though by age 17, he was a divorced high school dropout and a father of one. They are dying quicklyaccording to US Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, 167,284 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II arealive in 2022. He hated Hitler, he said, because Fuhrer reminded him of his stepfather. At the age of eight, Momilo Gavri joined the Serbian army. Through some cunning lies, Calvin Graham is the youngest confirmed soldier to serve in World War II. Calvins ship took an enormous beating with major damage, 40 killed, and 180 wounded, including Calvin. The Department of Veteran Affairs . : Died June 5, 2008 On October 26, 1942, he participated in the Battle of the Santa Cruz. Your email address will not be published. At one point, shrapnel hit Graham square in the face, tearing through his jaw and mouth. Yet, along with his gunnery officer, one Sargent Shriver, Calvin began tending the worse off. "I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks," Kelso said. 10 Largest Armed Forces in the World However, Graham was undeterred. Whether working as porters or messengers, or giving their lives on the frontline, there were numerous young men involved in World War II. Country of Origin: Dewsbury, United Kingdom. World War II was the most destructive war in history. Reluctant to fight with the young man, the dentist let Calvin Graham pass. Country of Origin: Norwood, Louisiana, USA In 2015, he was awarded the Highest Award in France - the Legion of Honor - for his part in liberating the French from the Nazi regime. Current Age (as of February 2021): 109 years, 2 months, 20 days He didn't make it overseas before the war ended. He received the Iron Cross 2nd Class award for his service from Adolf Hitler. These included the National Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal, which he never received in person. : Died November 6, 1992 Through some cunning lies, Calvin Graham is the youngest confirmed soldier to serve in World War II. Lucas forged his mothers signature to enlist in the army. He spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Army, serving two tours in Vietnam. When Calvin Graham was 11 years old, he began shaving, convinced it would make him look older than he was. The people listed below are, or were, the last surviving members of notable groups of World War II veterans, as identified by reliable sources. But in the battle tested eyes of America's youngest ever World War II hero, the fight is still there! She had seen him on a news special and quickly informed them that their newest decorated veteran was, in fact, barely a teenager. Man shot twice in the head near downtown; King William Fair plagued with payment problems | KENS 5 News Now, David Robinson snags a foul ball at San Antonio Missions game, Next chance for rain on Thursday | FORECAST, Viewers send photos, videos of hail and lightning as severe thunderstorms roll through San Antonio, K9s for Warriors: Veteran and service dog share unbreakable bond, K9s for Warriors: Saving two lives at once, No, Veterans Day does not honor active-duty service members. Lawrence Brooks is currently the oldest living American World War II veteran at over 111 years old. Until 2005 about 63 billion euros (equivalent to approximately 87.9 billion euros in 2022) have been paid to individuals. People Magazine: The Navy's 'Baby' Hero https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10667014/calvin-leon-graham, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Calvin_Graham&oldid=1152165445, United States Navy personnel of World War II, United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War, United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 16:15. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. : Died August 13, 2021 Initially, he was not scared of the Japanese soldiers, but after his capture, he was in for a shock when he realized the extent of the Japanese brutality. Current Age (as of February 2021): 109 years, 10 months, 29 days Graham worked as a loader for an anti-aircraft gun. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Has documentation of adverse academic, occupational, or work performance. Kabance is also the oldest member of the the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and one of the few remaining Native American veterans from World War II. According to the National World War II Museum, the oldest known American veteran of World War II passed away early Wednesday morning. However, the Army can lift some restrictions based on the need for certain roles to be filled. It does not store any personal data. According to Graham, the drill instructors knew that a number of the recruits were underage and punished them for it, often making them run extra miles and carry heavier packs. Still Living? Military Branch: Womens Voluntary Service (WVS) Military Branch: United States Army Although Hermanns was born in Canada, his family moved to New Zealand when he was a toddler and Hermanns has remained in the country since then. Military Branch: Royal New Zealand Air Force He joined the Army at age 15 and fought in the Battle of the Bulge at age 16. Lawrence Brooks The soldiers were paid at Pay Parades held within their own units. They were called green boys a nickname Graham certainly qualified for. , 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. No one under the age of seventeen legally joined the armed forces of the United States during World War Two. Later on in his life, Zech met Adolf Hitler in Berlin, and from there, he volunteered to fight at the war frontline rather than go back home. It wasnt until 1994 that it was officially re-awarded to his family two years after Calvin Graham had died. We hope this information is helpful. Sergei rose in the ranks, and became a junior lieutenant in his army. Krul had also obtained his American citizenship. As of February 2021 this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed. : Died In 1987 Instead of finishing grade school, Calvin got a job in a shipyard and got married. If you dont pass me also, Ill go to your superior.. The youngest World War II vet is at the age of six. He had recently moved into a boarding house with his brother, escaping an abusive father and crowded family home. The youngest Pearl Harbor survivor is 97 years old and the total number of survivors is less than 1,500. In buildings across San Antonio you will see the names Bob Kelso and his late wife Betty. According to reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than two hundred thousand World War II veterans are still alive. Kopelman was the last surviving soldier of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. According to the National World War II Museum, the oldest known American veteran of World War II passed away early Wednesday morning. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Military Branch: Canadian Armed Forces (unspecified which branch) He and his wife received just $15,000 before taxes. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Not much is known about Marchands time in the French military during World War II, but he was a prisoner-of-war. Who is the oldest living ww2 veteran? The book is entitled Billy: My Life as a Teenage POW. : Died June 13, 2011 SAN ANTONIO On this Veteran's . Help for civilians and veterans seeking information and military records, past and present. Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!The National Archives does not have information about former service personnel on file. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Back in 2015, 939,000 U.S. WWII veterans were still alive and the number of stories and memories being lost daily is accelerating. He and some friends knew a local innkeeper who kept a notary stamp at his front desk. Current Age (as of February 2021): 109 years, 2 months, 5 days Only a small number of people survived the war. Theres no time to lose, said Gordon H. Nick Mueller, President and CEO Emeritus of the Museum. (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. Anyone who served under the United States flag was eighteen, seventeen with parental consent. Graham was born in Canton, Texas, and was attending elementary school in Houston before he decided to join the Navy, after his father had died and his mother had remarried.[4]. Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy and later the Royal Australian Navy, died at the age of 112. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Calvin made the decision to enlist in the military. He also practiced speaking in a deep voice, pretending to talk like a man. He stayed in the United States until 2011, when he moved back home to Selce, Croatia. During enlistment for the war, young boys had to be at least 17 to join. There are more than 200,000 World War II veterans who are still alive today. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2021 Oldest.org | Terms | Privacy | Contact | Facebook, Dont let anyone tell you that a dentist is not a doctor! He has detailed his experiences in the Malaysian Jungle, the Sandakan in his book, co-authored with historian Lynette Silver. Country of Origin: Baltimore, Maryland, USA After Germanys defeat in the Second World War, the four main allies in Europe the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and France took part in a joint occupation of the German state. As of 2021, there were over 200,000 living United States veterans who served in the Second World War. *Click below to enlarge (charted byStatista). At 16, one could join with a parents consent, but 17 was still preferred. During his incarceration, he managed to send a message to his sister. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Although the Marine Corps had not done a background check on him, they came to learn his true age through his family. Born in 1930 to Oklahoma farmers, his parents divorced and Kelso grew up bouncing between his parents and foster homes. His unit was sent to France, making their way through Germany, fighting Nazis and liberating towns along the way. Lucas joined the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 14, having lied that he was 17 years old. Graham was an 11-year-old living in Crockett, Texas, when he decided to enlist in the Navy during World War 2. Those aboard the South Dakota were almost as impatient to see action as Graham was. It was a long night. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Home | All Posts | Who is the youngest ww2 veteran still alive? He was only 12 years old at the time. Calvin Graham was born in 1930, in East Texas. Lawrence Brooks is currently the oldest living American World War II veteran at over 111 years old. Josip Krul is currently the oldest living person in Croatia, but he is an American World War II veteran. Country of Origin: United States. Still Living? The youngest soldier ever was a 1-year-old boy who was born in Iraq in 2003. The Royal Air Force says it knows of only one surviving Battle of Britain pilot, the men Winston Churchill immortalized as the few who helped turn the tide of the war. How many World War II vets are still alive? What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Current Age (as of February 2021): 110 years, 6 months, 2 days Like many Americans, Bob Kelso signed up to fight in World War Two. Reed used to grow primroses that would be sent to the London Flower Markets to sell. In 1941 at age 11, he left home to live in a boarding house, supporting himself by selling newspapers on the street and delivering telegrams at night. Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last known living American veteran of World War I, died on Sunday, February 27, three weeks after celebrating his 110th birthday. If you want a "Hollywood" version of Calvin Graham's story, there was a move made about it. His case was similar to that of Jack W. Hill, who was granted significant media attention due to holding service number one million . Krul is currently living with his nephew, the son of his sister who lived to be 102. 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. Since 2015, Reed has been living in a care home in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England. He was discovered by the 142nd Guards Rifle Regiment, wandering in the forest in a state of shock and malnourishment. His mother had previously been deported to Treblinka. Best of luck with your research! Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! South Dakota at the Battle of Santa Cruz (US Navy). His name was Anthony Marchione. He was in fact, only 13 years old. He lives in Anchorage AK . While some children were forced into war after being trained for just one day, others joined voluntarily to aid in the fight against Hitler and the Nazis. Data journalist covering technological, societal and media topics, Estimated number of living U.S. WWII veterans up. [3][5][7] The South Dakota's gunnery officer who was involved in handling his case was Sargent Shriver. 77 years later, Kelso still downplays his heroics and all the attention. They guarded posts and supplies, carried messages, and rescued downed pilots. I took belts off the dead and made tourniquets for the living and gave them cigarettes and encouraged them all night, he later said. According to the U.S. Air Force Medical Standards Directory, Autism Spectrum Disorder is not disqualifying for continued military service unless it is currentlyor has a history ofcompromising military duty or training. However, while his fellow crewmen were off celebrating, his mother called the Navy and reported him. Kopelman forged travel papers to Italy, and later boarded an illegal ship to Israel to see his remaining family. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Required fields are marked *. He was sent into battle and wounded - one of the youngest Americans ever to receive the Purple Heart. After she got married, Reed moved to Cornwall, England, where she and her husband owned a farm. Immediately after his release, he trekked 250 miles back home, only to find his father dead. During battle, he was hit by a shrapnel, and even though he suffered from fragmentation wounds, he still helped wounded soldiers aboard their warship. He received a trophy Browning Pistol as a souvenir from his military commander, General Vasily Chuikov of the 62nd Army. Sergei survived a lot at war, including drowning, mines, and gunfire, but he miraculously survived each of these events. On , the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, only 25% of Americans who served in World War II are still alive today. Kabance then worked for the Air Force in Topeka, Kansas until the base closed. America lost its final veteran of the First World War just under a decade ago. Calvin Leo Graham joined the United States Navy at the age of 12. Previous Occupation(s): Aircraft Engineer. Military Branch: Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Jewish Military At 110 years of age, Julia Kabance is the oldest living female American World War II veteran and the second oldest American vet after Lawrence Brooks. Hill enlisted twice to the U.S. Marine Corps, and was a corporal for his second enlistment. It aged me.. 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. Which Is Stronger Pramoxine Or Lidocaine? Previous Occupation(s): Professional Cyclist and various odd jobs. Katie Serena is a New York City-based writer and a staff writer at All That's Interesting. Today, Hermanns still lives independently, but has carers who stop by and check in on him. 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. When soldiers were wounded in his Goldenau hometown, he commandeered his fathers cart to rescue them, saving 12 men in total. Year of birth: February 5, 1927 At 52 and 125 pounds, Calvin didnt look anything close to enlistment age. He also practiced speaking in a deep voice, pretending to talk like a man. "I went into this house, 3 or 4 of us. The dentist moved Calvin along. He then worked in a Houston shipyard as a welder after dropping out of school. Currently, Walker lives in Kingwood, Oxfordshire, England. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Navy from Houston, Texas on August 15, 1942, at the age of 12. He was bayonetted in the leg. The last surviving veteran was Claude Choules (on the photo), who served Royal Navy during WW1. They have an average age of 96. They also may be restricted in sharing specific names and birth dates of individuals for reasons of privacy. 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. As of 2021, estimates indicate there are only about 500,000-600,000 World War II veterans still . He was in fact, only 13 years old. In November 2019, Julia Kabance became the first Native American to receive the Distinguished Citizen Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution. Military Branch: 62ND Red Army Regiment Of course there was some artistic freedoms so, please don't quote the movie as historical fact. The projections for each year are updated on September 30. He was captured by the Nazis in Germany, but avoided going to the Treblinka with the other soldiers by claiming that he was a mechanic. He died only five months into the service. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. He got his GED, then went to college, then signed up to serve again. In the US over 16 million men served during WWII, so they are likely still quite a number still alive. [3] His case was similar to that of Jack W. Hill, who was granted significant media attention due to holding service number one million during World War II, but later was discovered to have lied about his age and subsequently discharged. Hermanns enlisted in the Territorial Air Force in 1937 and two years later when World War II was declared, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. During that time, millions of men and women from around the world enlisted in their countrys military and unfortunately, an estimated 50 to 80 million people did not survive. Reed was part of the Royal Air Force at Farnborough, where she served in a secret establishment during World War II. Since Ezra Hills shoe store was located in Baltimore, during the Civil Rights era, many prominent figures such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Muhammad Ali stopped into his store. Honoring the 20th-century veterans' sacrifice before they pass from the scene is at the forefront of everything we do at The National WWII Museumfrom our exhibits, to oral . I have done a little research and found out who the youngest that served were, but no information about who is still alive. This represents the most military deaths of any nation by a large margin. During World War II, Hill enlisted in the Army and found himself on the Queen Mary sailing to England. Soon he was reduced to a life of selling magazine subscriptions after breaking his back while enlisted in the Marine Corps. The National Archives does not have information about former service personnel on file. At the age of 17, Graham enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. "You had to be a certain age to buy beer," Kelso said with a laugh. Previous Occupation(s): Fork lift operator and several odd jobs. What happens if you get a tattoo in the Army? Some of the places the Corbins visited were South Africa and Canada. List of the 4 Youngest Vietnam Veterans https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10667014/calvin-leon-graham. 10 Longest Wars in United States History, Your email address will not be published. But then a dentist took a look in his mouth and saw baby teeth. After Odile Washington passed away over the summer of 2020, Brooks became the oldest living person in Louisiana. She wrote to newspapers about how the Navy had imprisoned her brother, a baby vet. Due to the bad press, he was eventually released, though denied his honorable discharge. The VA used a deterministic actuarial projection model to forecast the number of living veterans up to 2045 and the following infographic is based on its findings. Hed heard about a discharge program for deserters and felt he deserved an honorable discharge more than they did. Alfred Zech showed courage from a very young age. However, he had a plan in place should the issue arrive. She remained in the Army for 33 months, serving as a clerical worker. With the dwindling population of WW2 veterans, he asked me to research if he was the youngest veteran alive today. World War II veteran Jack Bartlett is 99 years old and hasn't missed an Anzac Day march in more than 60 years. According to the VA, they are generally in their 90s. Military Branch: Australian Army Graham finally joined the United States Marine Corps in 1948 at age 17, but his enlistment in the Marines also ended early when he fell from a pier and broke his back in 1951 during the Korean war. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Military Branch: Womens Army Corps And he wasn't. Billy Young joined the Australian Army as a 15-year-old under the pretense of being 19 years of age. The Federal agency most likely to have such information is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 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. Corbins given name is actually Elsie, but her family has always called her Pat because of her birthday. Three weeks later, the South Dakota joined the four-day Naval Battle of Guadalcanal where it fought in ramming range with eight Japanese destroyers. Country of Origin: Selce, Croatia (but moved to the United States as a young man) While the media and others have kept track of the oldest living service person from WWII, I don't know if there is anyway to find out who the youngest living veteran is. Required fields are marked *. YoutubeCalvin Graham onboard a Navy vessel. Walker was also Secretary of the local Conservative Association and a founder member of the Friends of Kingwood. The last veteran to serve in the trenches was Harry Patch, who passed away at the age of 112.