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Chủ Nhật, 4 tháng 5, 2014

Richard Overton, The Celebrated Veteran

By Eloise Hewitt


Richard was born in 1906 and is the oldest surviving world war 11 veteran and centenarian.After departure from service in the military, Richard Overton established a home in Texas where he has lived since then.

This figure has served in the US military from 1942 to 1945, a period characterized by the horrors of world war 11.Richard attests to having seen many of his comrades fall in battle during his service. He describes the battle as a place where no one would want to be in. He vividly recalls their joy when coming back home from the battlefield and how difficult it was when it was finally time to go back. He describes the military as a place where one has to fully commit himself, both physically and mentally.However, Veteran has absolutely no regrets for joining the military.

In past few days, Overton has been a busy man, appearing in different places across the country. Meeting high profile persons has been part of his experience. He had an unique privilege to meet president Obama in the white house during the veterans day. The president lauded him for his role in the war. For him this was a dream come true since he had longed for this opportunity. Also among his encounters is with the governor of Texas.

It however remains unclear whether this centenarian was part of the battalion attacked on that fateful day. The words of president Obama and the information by US today lead to the conclusion that he saw all that happened at the Pearl Harbor. Evidence of the same however is not sufficiently available.

The veteran came to public limelight when he announced in an interview that he would prefer to spend his memorial smoking and drinking whisky that has been stiffened with coffee. He still appreciates that people would love to do something for him on this day but is categorical that how he would love to spend it. After leaving his job at the military, Richard worked in a furniture shop before joining the state department of treasury.

While receiving recognition for his great service by Austin mayor, Richard advises that people should not spend all their time sited and watching TV, they should get creative and engage in a activity so as to get moving. The mayor described him as an extraordinary gentleman. After celebrating his birthday, The centenarian was flown to visit world war 11 and Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington DC, by Honor Flight . This is an organization that transports for free, veterans to memorials as a unique way of trying to honour and express thanks to these great men and women.

Surprisingly, despite being one hundred and seven years, Mr. Richard can drive and comfortably walk around. In fact he generally appears healthy. This longevity, he says, is out of ensuring physical fitness and also taking whiskey.

This memorial is however not going to be business as usual for this centenarian . All the friends his friends especially those from his platoon have passed on. The veteran admits that this for a number of times been a source of loneliness since he lacks a person he can talk to like he was used to with them. Richard has had two wives the last one having passed on twenty two years ago and has no children.




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