World War I passes from memory to history with last known veteran's death

[K Frame]

http://wtop.com/?nid=220&sid=2737538

Almost made it 100 years from the start of the war.

[wmenorr67]

Sadly it won't be too long that our WWII veterans will also be gone.  I would raise a glass in honor if I could.

[SADShooter]

I remember the feeling I had on hearing that Bob Hope had passed. All the amazing changes he saw in the world and the experiences he had during his life. The end of an era. This is another such moment. 

[brimic]

Wow.
I used to shoot trap with a few WWI vets, one had played for the German team, that was 25 years or so ago, and they were old then....

[HankB]

Previous generations had the same feelings - I remember my father told me that when he was very young, he met an old man who was a Civil War veteran. The last one passed a long time ago . . . and now, the last WWI vet.

I wonder how today's youngsters will feel - or if they'll even notice - when the last WWII or Vietnam veteran passes.

Or, for that matter, the last Holocaust survivor . . .

And in a slightly related story, it turns out that two of President John Tyler's grandsons are still alive, and Tyler was POTUS from 1841-1845!

http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2012/02/presidential_tyler_family_once.html

[rcnixon]

My Pop remembered the Doughboys disembarking for the troopships in the Hudson River for the march down Broadway in early 1919.  He was nine or ten years old.

His own WWII service began in May of 1941 by being recalled after completing a reserve obligation.  This was during Roosevelt's pre-Pearl Harbor build-up.

Russ

[wmenorr67]

Figure in that the youngest WWII vets are 83/84, how many are going to live another 26 or 27 years?  I wouldn't be surprised that the last of the WWII vets aren't gone in 15 or less.

[Harold Tuttle]

My daughter ran a high school talent show last weekend
The theme was "the 90's"

to todays High Schoolers, anything before 1994 is history.

[Perd Hapley]

My daughter ran a high school talent show last weekend
The theme was "the 90's"

to todays High Schoolers, anything before 1994 is history.

And a lot of us who grew up in the 80s have had 80s-themed events. The 80s are also history. So?

[Lee]

Both my Grandfathers served in WWI.  Gone but not forgotten.  Luckily, I am the grandson who got custody of their medals, a bayonet, a handful of European coins, and a few other things.
I haven't seen the movie War Horse yet...but thought I would soon.  I've not seen many WWI movies.  My Grandparents were big Gary Cooper fans though...so I saw the old ones

[MicroBalrog]

to todays High Schoolers, anything before 1994 is history.

For today's historians, too.

[S. Williamson]

Y'all do realize we're into the second decade of the 21st century, right? 

[Lee]

It's genetic...my gramma was still pissed off about the civil war in 1970....carried over from her grandparents and parents I'm sure.

[Azrael256]

For today's historians, too.

I hope that's tongue-in-cheek... I fear it isn't.

The generally accepted line between journalism and history is at about the thirty year mark.  Basically, your subject has to be old enough that the people involved have written a memoir.  It's also easier if they're dead.

Anybody "doing history" under the thirty year limit is either working in an area of solid documentation and rapid evolution (which basically never happens), or is selling something.

[RoadKingLarry]

My daughter ran a high school talent show last weekend
The theme was "the 90's"

to todays High Schoolers, anything before 1994 is history.

I was kind of busy during the '90s what with raising kids, buying a house and working. Other than inane and vapid TV programming, Clinton scandals and the AWB what else was there?

[Mabs2]

I work with several Vietnam war veterans.  Some were fighter pilots and some were apparently POWs together.
They're all pretty cool guys.
Interesting thing is that they're Vietnamese themselves.

[wmenorr67]

Mabs sure you weren't dreaming once again of going to Tailand?

[Harold Tuttle]

I was kind of busy during the '90s what with raising kids, buying a house and working. Other than inane and vapid TV programming, Clinton scandals and the AWB what else was there?

ask a Berliner

[HankB]

ask a Berliner

Berliner with plum jam filling:

[Harold Tuttle]

Smile & wave President Kennedy, smile and wave.

[RoadKingLarry]

ask a Berliner

The wall came down in '89. I missed that due to being underway on a submarine in the Med at the time, we didn't get the word for week or about a two weeks or so till we pulled back into port.
It was kind of a big deal in Europe but I didn't see much of the impact in the US since I wasn't here when it happened.

[Lee]

I think this is pretty cool ...those Canadians keep some good records...and they're easy to find.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?image_url=http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc001/270554a.gif&id_nbr=74317

That is my Grandfather.  He lied about his birth date.  He made his way from Georgia to NYC to enlist.  He was only 16 and they turned him away.  So he went on to Toronto and lied about his age. He was sent to Europe and celebrated his 18th birthday (and the prospect of going home) in a trench, just a month after Germany surrendered.    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_World_War_I

[MicroBalrog]

I hope that's tongue-in-cheek... I fear it isn't.

The generally accepted line between journalism and history is at about the thirty year mark.  Basically, your subject has to be old enough that the people involved have written a memoir.  It's also easier if they're dead.

Anybody "doing history" under the thirty year limit is either working in an area of solid documentation and rapid evolution (which basically never happens), or is selling something.

Generally accepted?

Citation needed.

[TommyGunn]

Berliner with plum jam filling:

"Ich bin ein berliner!"~~ President John F. Kennedy.

[Harold Tuttle]

Generally accepted?

Citation needed.

Challenge accepted