Last WWI veteran passes
About ten of you sent us this link to the story of Florence Green, the last known veteran of the World War One era, who passed in her sleep at the tender age of 110 years old. That’s her on your left in the picture above on the occasion of her 109th birthday when she was presented with a cake from her former service, the Royal Air Force. She doesn’t look a day over 80. From MSNBC;
Born Florence Beatrice Patterson in London on Feb. 19, 1901, she joined the Women’s Royal Air Force in September 1918 at the age of 17.
She went to work as a waitress in the officers’ mess at RAF Marham in eastern England, and was serving there when the war ended in November 1918.
Green remembered her wartime service with affection.
So which one of you youngsters will be a headliner as the last known GWOT veteran in eighty years? Let me know when you get to Fiddler’s Green.
Category: Blue Skies
“…last known GWOT veteran…”
The so-called GWOT will probably still be going on in eighty years if some people have their way…..
“…if some people have…”
“…if some TERRORISTS have…”
There, guy! I fixed your typo for you! 🙂
Just one day, Joe. Just ONE FUCKING DAY I’d like you to have even a semblance of a clue.
But then again, it ain’t gonna happen. C’mere, Joey, time to rub your nose into the pile you just made on the carpet…AGAIN.
I think we should change GWOT to TWAT…The War Against Terrorist!
Meanwhile, RIP, Florence. Kindly ignore the complete lack of respect of some of our detractors around here.
What an amazing woman with an amazing story……
Rest in Peace Florence Beatrice Patterson……..you deserve it.
Wow, this truly is the ending of an era! I don’t even know how to feel with this one. I mean, I had the pleasure of meeting a WW1 Vet my freshman year of HS at a Memorial Day parade in the midwest, and I have known and grown up around WW2 Vets at the VFW before I was ever eligible to be a member, I can only imagine what its going to do to VSOs when they are all gone, I mean… Fuck! RIP Florence!
The above was me
With her passing, an era ends.Those folks couldn’t even begin to imagine the world we live in today. Lucky them I suppose.
The number of WWII vets is dwindling quickly as well. Rumor has it the D-Day vets are considering ending their reunions for lack of attendance. A sad reality we all face.
A salute to the heroes that came before us, and another to those who walk the patrols today……
“Rumor has it the D-Day vets are considering ending their reunions for lack of attendance.” Thought they said the 60th(04′) was the last one they would have a formal reunion for. There are not that many left alive and those who are would be to infirm by and large for travel by any point beyond.
My grandfather was in the Navy on D-Day, died in 97′. You know it’s one of those regrets that I didn’t ask him more when he was alive, I know he wasn’t on a small landing craft but and LST. Beyond that, I only know a few stories, my grandfather was a laid-back quiet guy before the term was even coined. He simply didn’t talk much at all.
@11 Cedo, don’t worry about it, my dad, at Utah Beach didn’t say anything about war until I had graduated from MCRD. That was Thanksgiving ’77 when I got to sit with my dad and uncles to have a beer with them and was accepted. My older brothers said the same thing happened to them. My grandfather was in the Army in WWI and NEVER said a word. You gotta guess see he saw some pretty bad stuff.
#12 My grandfather wasn’t the only veteran in the family by far. I just meant he was a quiet guy in general, I don’t think it had much to do with the war.
“My grandfather was in the Army in WWI and NEVER said a word.” I also had two great-grandfathers in WW1 opposite sided of family, both strangely in the 3rd ID though.
Back to my grandfather, one story he did touch on was a training exercise in England, where German E-boats got through/past the Royal Navy who were providing the escort. A few American ships were sunk, I think he was referring to operation Tiger. They were ordered not to speak of it and it really didn’t become public knowledge until years later. I think he told this mostly to my father but it was something I can remember him acknowledging personally. My memory is admittingly sketchy, I don’t remember how this topic was first broached.