Last U.S. veteran of World War I testifies for memorial

[Dennis Donovan]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/03/world.war.one.memorial/

Washington (CNN) -- At 108 years old, Cpl. Frank Buckles said Thursday he hopes he lives to see the day when there's a memorial on the National Mall honoring all Americans who fought in World War I.

Buckles, the last surviving U.S. veteran of the war that ended in 1918, came to Capitol Hill in support of legislation to pay tribute to his comrades.

Lawmakers are considering whether to help fund a national rededication of an old city monument already on the Mall or to forgo such support in favor of a monument project under way in Kansas City, Missouri.

Last year, Buckles visited the District of Columbia's World War I Memorial. In his wheelchair and bundled against the cold, he slowly toured the overgrown site and noted the names engraved along the gazebo's marble walls are only of those who hailed from the District of Columbia.

He also saw the rundown condition of the 1930s monument and became determined to symbolically lead a drive to restore the structure and support making it a national memorial.</snip>

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Wow. K&R.

This veteran deserves a monument all by himself... :patriot:

[Dennis Donovan]

2. Corporal Buckles IS a monument all by himself!

:D:hi:

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Well said.

I knew a veteran of WWI. Wish I'd asked him more questions while I had the chance. :-(

Paul M. Limbert: May 27, 1897-December 25, 1998


Rhiannon ;) :hi:

[Dennis Donovan]

7. He missed being the last by 11 years - damn good run though!

:patriot:

(my original idea for a response to your post was "everyone run! here comes the Paul and Nana stories!":rofl:)

[Rhiannon12866]

8. However, he was a conscientious objector...

So they had him drive an ambulance. But then you already knew that... :blush:

on edit: Nope, it's the other side of the family, these days... :spank:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9149733&mesg_id=9150345

[cbdo2007]

3. We do have an excellent World War 1 Monument here in Kansas City.

It's not even "under way" as the article suggests. It's finished and open for business. Check it out if you come to Kansas City.

www.theworldwar.org

[Dennis Donovan]

5. My Grandfather was in the Navy in WW1 -served on CA-8 USS Frederick

?
The arrow points to him...:)

The WW1 Museum is now on my list! Thanks!!:hi:

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Cool pic! Both of my grandfathers served in WWI.

My maternal grandfather emigrated here from Poland, they made him a citizen and sent him off to France... :crazy:

[Thothmes]

22. My Grandfather also served in the Navy during WWI

he was a firemen on the USS Wyoming BB-32

[mrbarber]

9. Captain America, is that you?!

[Rhiannon12866]

17. It sure is!

And he came back to fight the Nazis too! :crazy:

[Dennis Donovan]

24. CA was a WIMP compared to Superman...

Superman would've used his super-breath to blow Hitler into the North Sea, not struggle with him on a burning rooftop like CA in your pic...:D

[Rhiannon12866]

27. We could have used him back then...

Hell, I could use him, too, with his earth spinning abilities... ;)

But you missed the better post. Sometimes those stories come in handy. :-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7151063&mesg_id=7152063

[arcadian]

10. Seriously, what's the point?

There is no memorial on the Mall for the Mexican War or Spanish American War either.

[Dennis Donovan]

11. More US servicemen were killed in WW1 than in Vietnam...

Should we remove the Vietnam Memorial?:eyes:

[arcadian]

14. So fucking what?

War. War. War. Let's glorify it. :eyes:

[Dennis Donovan]

15. Great - this is what we've become on DU? Pissing on veterans?

:thumbsdown:

[arcadian]

16. Nice strawman...

Did I say, nice? I meant sad and pathetic.

[anonymous171]

20. Monuments honor veterans, not war.

[proteus_lives]

21. +10

Thanks for spelling it out to him.

[Dennis Donovan]

23. Clearly, you don't know the definition of strawman...

A memorial to veterans of ANY conflict does NOT glorify war - it remembers the victims of it (of which veterans can be included).

I repeat: :eyes:

[anonymous171]

19. Monuments don't glorify war. If anything, they do the opposite. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

18. So you don't think we should remember? This was known as "The War to End All Wars..."

The total number of casualties in World War I were about 37 million, 16 million deaths and 21 million wounded. And that includes civilians. Isn't this something that the entire world should never forget?

I've been to Russia and they have a museum devoted to their their WWI and WWII dead in every small town, not to mention the statues in the cities and the plaques in even the littlest school in the smallest town. The children study there, so they won't forget. And I was privileged to visit those memorials with an American WWI vet, who happens to be one of my heroes... We were there as part of a peace group.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

[Libertas1776]

12. They should certainly

restore and renovate the memorial in DC. But I don't think they'll ever be able to build a memorial on the mall that can compete with the 80+ year old one in Kansas City.

[Dennis Donovan]

13. Despite the fact it looks like a big wang...

...it IS quite striking.:D

[Rhiannon12866]

28. ?

:shrug:

[Dennis Donovan]

32. NO, not THAT Wang...

:D

[Rhiannon12866]

33. Oh...

Well, the older Wangs were much larger than today's models... :D

[Dennis Donovan]

34. The older Wangs are now flaccid...

:rofl:

[Rhiannon12866]

35. Or junked and sold for parts...

:-(

[nemo137]

29. Huh, my family lived in Kansas City for years and I never saw that.

Weird. I will have to go there the next time I visit.

[Major Hogwash]

25. Kicked and Recommended for Corporal Buckles

So, they don't want to spend a measly million or 2 for those veterans, but they'll cancel school music programs so they can ride around on private jets!!

I will never vote for a Republican, ever!!

[Octafish]

26. Thank you for your service, Sir.

As one of the bravest of the brave, Cpl. Buckles has helped keep ours a free and just nation.

[Zomby Woof]

30. I am amazed that any WW1 vets are still with us

Thanks for posting this, and just ignore the petulant children and their endless bitching and pissing.

[RedCloud]

31. Don't let the bastards grind you down.