One Of Last Two American World War I Vets Dies
TAMPA, Fla. - Harry Richard Landis, who enlisted in the Army in 1918 and was one of only two known surviving U.S. veterans of World War I, has died. He was 108.
Landis, who lived at a Sun City Center nursing home, died Monday, according to the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.
The remaining U.S. veteran is Frank Buckles, 107, of Charles Town, W.Va., according the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition, John Babcock of Spokane, Wash., 107, served in the Canadian army and is the last known Canadian veteran of the war.
Another World War I vet, Ohioan J. Russell Coffey, died in December at 109. The last known German World War I veteran, Erich Kaestner, died New Year’s Day at 107.
Landis trained as a U.S. Army recruit for 60 days at the end of the war and never went overseas. But the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs counts him among the 4.7 million men and woman who served during the Great War.
The last time all known U.S. veterans of a war died was Sept. 10, when Spanish-American War veteran Nathan E. Cook passed away at age 106.
In an interview with The Associated Press last April in his Sun City Center apartment, Landis recalled that his time in the Student Army Training Corps involved a lot of marching.
“I don’t remember too much about it,” said Landis, who enlisted while in college in Fayette, Mo., at age 18. “We went to school in the afternoon and drilled in the morning.”
They often drilled in their street clothes.
“We got our uniforms a bit at a time. Got the whole uniform just before the war ended,” Landis said. “Fortunately, we got our great coats first. It was very cold out there.
(AP)
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Godspeen Mr. Landis.
I had a neighbor who served in WW1. He was in Halifax when the munitions ship exploded that was almost as large and explosion as Hiroshima. Mr. Hickman was a great guy. I moved out of the parents home, and later he moved as well. I am not sure what happened to him.
February 6th, 2008 at 2:16 pmSpanish-American War veteran Nathan E. Cook passed away at age 106.??? That means he was born in 1901. The Spanish-American War was fought in 1898, three years before he was born. Perhaps the article is in reference to the “Punitive Expedition” aka The US-Mexican war which ended in 1917 I believe.
In any event it is sad to see an era fade into history. I’m glad we have so much testimony of the WWI vets on film to preserve their gallant service in perpetuity.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:00 pmIn the blink of an eye……….
Rest in peace sir.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:02 pm