I’ve written several times about Frank Buckles, the last remaining WW I veteran in the United States.

On February 7, 2008, I wrote about the passing of Harry Landis — the second to last remaining WW I veteran. Later that day I received a phone call from one of Frank Buckles’ relatives, Ken Buckles.

He asked me if I could help their family with something very important to Frank — he wanted to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, which is only 45-miles from where he has spent most of his 107 years in West Virginia.

The problem was that Mr. Buckles was not eligible to be buried at Arlington, as that honor is reserved for Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipients, or those killed in action.

However, Ken Buckles, who is the Executive Director of Oregon’s Remembering America’s Heroes, was dismayed to find out that the United States was the only one of the Allied Powers that does not have a State Funeral for its last surviving WWI Veteran.

And he set out to change that.

He asked for my help to spread the word and try to influence people to act on their behalf — all I could do was call my Congressmen and Senators and implore them to try to grant Frank Buckles’ wish to be buried at Arlington. I told my representatives that when Frank Buckles passes, it is important for all of America to be aware of what we have just lost, and that for a day the nation should stop and take notice.

Well, Ken’s hard work and determination has paid off:

[Ken] Buckles petitioned Oregon Senators Wyden and Smith, and West Virginia Senator Byrd but got no response. He then approached the popular media including Oprah, Bill O’Reilly and even Kid Rock, all known as supporters of Veterans’ rights, but still no one was willing to champion the cause.

Then Buckles recalled that “Uncle Frank” had met Ross Perot at the 2001 Living History Day event. He faxed his request for assistance to Perot and within minutes he had a response.

Ross Perot, former U.S. Presidential candidate, took the cause to the White House. In less than two weeks, he had succeeded in securing an internment for Frank Buckles at Arlington National Cemetery.

Perot contacted Ken Buckles personally with the good news. “This is the right thing to do. This needs to happen,” Perot said. This marks only the second time in history this exemption has been made, the first was for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Frank Buckles apparently doesn’t intend to take the offer any time soon. At 107, he still does 50 sit ups a day and lifts weights three times a week. He lives with his daughter in Charlestown, West Virginia. He served in the US Army in World War One, was a prisoner of War at Los Banos internment camp in World War Two.

Sen. Byrd should be embarrassed. He was probably too busy naming building after himself to properly honor a true West Virgina hero. Which also goes to show that when you need something done, call a Texan!

Ken invited me to the Buckles family reunion in West Virginia this month, but I won’t be able to make it. I hope that when the day finally does come to honor Frank Buckles one last time at Arlington, that the Patriot Guard Riders will be invited to help do so. I’ve already made plans to ride to D.C. from Austin to take part in the event if we are invited.

Posted by Robbie Cooper on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 | Trackback |