Tweet
Cheers to Mr. Overton! This beer I just opened is for him
Video at link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...s-whiskey.html
America's oldest vet, aged 107, who saw comrades fall in WWII to spend Memorial Day with cigars and whiskey-stiffened coffee
Richard Arvine Overton served in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1945 before returning and building his current home in Austin, Texas
Attributes his old age to yard work, whiskey and an aspirin a day
At the age of 107 America's oldest known veteran plans to enjoy this year's Memorial Day in what he describes as the familiar company of up to 12 cigars and some whiskey-stiffened coffee - simple luxuries for a man who's lived through a lot.
'I don’t know, some people might do something for me, but I’ll be glad just to sit down and rest,' World War II veteran Richard Arvine Overton told Fox News from the East Austin, Texas home he built after returning from active duty.
Understandably Mr Overton is already more than entitled to some extra rest and relaxation after his service in the South Pacific from 1942 through 1945. But it's also been an especially busy past month while making appearances across the country.
'You got to keep moving. You don't sit down and watch TV all the time. You have to keep moving,' Mr Overton told KVUE after being recognized for his service by Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell on May 9. Two days later he was busy celebrating his birthday and eight days later was being flown to Washington, D.C. for his first time to visit the WWII Memorial thanks to nonprofit Honor Flight, an organization that transports veterans to memorials free of cost.
The organization strives to honor the veterans, particularly from WWII with over 800 of them said by the non-profit to be dying every day.
'...our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out,' the organization explains. 'I was very, very happy,' Mr Overton told Fox of his trip that included a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial. 'At my age and my strength, I’m able to stand up and do anything. My mind is good, so I’m able to do what I want,' he said.
Mr Overton attributes active yard work and a single baby aspirin taken every day to his long life. It's the physical work he particularly emphasizes. But the whiskey’s good too, as he explains. 'Whiskey’s a good medicine. It keeps your muscles tender,' he said of his common regiment.
Sadly, he says a major part of this Memorial Day will be missing from his day, as he reflects on everyone he served with, but has now outlived.
‘I know I had someone from my platoon until recently, but he passed so now I don’t have anyone that I know,’ he said. ‘So I feel lonesome by myself sometimes. I would love to ask some of them some questions, but nobody is here. Everybody’s passed.’
Richard Arvine Overton served in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1945 before returning and building his current home in Austin, Texas
Attributes his old age to yard work, whiskey and an aspirin a day
At the age of 107 America's oldest known veteran plans to enjoy this year's Memorial Day in what he describes as the familiar company of up to 12 cigars and some whiskey-stiffened coffee - simple luxuries for a man who's lived through a lot.
'I don’t know, some people might do something for me, but I’ll be glad just to sit down and rest,' World War II veteran Richard Arvine Overton told Fox News from the East Austin, Texas home he built after returning from active duty.
Understandably Mr Overton is already more than entitled to some extra rest and relaxation after his service in the South Pacific from 1942 through 1945. But it's also been an especially busy past month while making appearances across the country.
'You got to keep moving. You don't sit down and watch TV all the time. You have to keep moving,' Mr Overton told KVUE after being recognized for his service by Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell on May 9. Two days later he was busy celebrating his birthday and eight days later was being flown to Washington, D.C. for his first time to visit the WWII Memorial thanks to nonprofit Honor Flight, an organization that transports veterans to memorials free of cost.
The organization strives to honor the veterans, particularly from WWII with over 800 of them said by the non-profit to be dying every day.
'...our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out,' the organization explains. 'I was very, very happy,' Mr Overton told Fox of his trip that included a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial. 'At my age and my strength, I’m able to stand up and do anything. My mind is good, so I’m able to do what I want,' he said.
Mr Overton attributes active yard work and a single baby aspirin taken every day to his long life. It's the physical work he particularly emphasizes. But the whiskey’s good too, as he explains. 'Whiskey’s a good medicine. It keeps your muscles tender,' he said of his common regiment.
Sadly, he says a major part of this Memorial Day will be missing from his day, as he reflects on everyone he served with, but has now outlived.
‘I know I had someone from my platoon until recently, but he passed so now I don’t have anyone that I know,’ he said. ‘So I feel lonesome by myself sometimes. I would love to ask some of them some questions, but nobody is here. Everybody’s passed.’
Video at link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...s-whiskey.html
Comment