World War II Veterans

[Sinbabad 829]

On 08/10/2023 at 18:27, The Immortal said:

Pearl Harbor survivors

 

Possibly alive?

Freeman Johnson (103) - No confirmation since 2021.

He participated in the 81th anniversary last year.

I guess we’ll see next month if he’s still alive .

[Ulitzer95 11,089]

5 hours ago, The Old Crem said:

Apparently only 12 WW2 veterans are either marching today at the cenotaph or left from a large division. That’s very few. Won’t be long till none are.

I was there. There were far more than 12 altogether.

[The Old Crem 3,181]

4 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

I was there. There were far more than 12 altogether.

It must have been 12 there or (more likely) alive from some division or battle then. 

[arghton 6,124]

Valentina Shulgina, last woman who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, reported dead on Xwitter by "The Communists". Apparently also the last WWII veteran in Abkhazia.

[Tango854 207]

5 hours ago, arghton said:

Valentina Shulgina, last woman who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, reported dead on Xwitter by "The Communists". Apparently also the last WWII veteran in Abkhazia.

The Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)* 

[The Immortal 529]

Ike Schab wants to go back to Pearl Harbor yet again at the age of 103. He "only" needs even more caregivers than the last time he went, and also an entire entourage to assist him. Oh and that's not all, his family are requesting a special wheelchair so that Ike can take a dip in the Pacific ocean (because apparently that is what he wants to do). 

 

Now whether he actually makes it is another question, since he was hospitalized several times this year.

[gcreptile 10,242]

2 hours ago, The Immortal said:

Ike Schab wants to go back to Pearl Harbor yet again at the age of 103. He "only" needs even more caregivers than the last time he went, and also an entire entourage to assist him. Oh and that's not all, his family are requesting a special wheelchair so that Ike can take a dip in the Pacific ocean (because apparently that is what he wants to do). 

 

Now whether he actually makes it is another question, since he was hospitalized several times this year.

How long is the "dip" supposed to last?

Maybe it's like a viking funeral of sorts. 

[Comped 368]

4 hours ago, The Immortal said:

Ike Schab wants to go back to Pearl Harbor yet again at the age of 103. He "only" needs even more caregivers than the last time he went, and also an entire entourage to assist him. Oh and that's not all, his family are requesting a special wheelchair so that Ike can take a dip in the Pacific ocean (because apparently that is what he wants to do). 

 

Now whether he actually makes it is another question, since he was hospitalized several times this year.

I could see him making another year or so. Nothing in the link suggests anything immediate is wrong with him.

[Funeralopolis 200]

On 22/01/2023 at 17:45, drol said:

Italian partisan Francesca Laura Fabbri Wronowski dead at 99.

 

As for remaining notable women partisans (at least an Italian wiki article):

 

1)Maria Lisa Cinciari Rodano (1921): former deputy and MEP

2)Paola Del Din (1923)

3)Walkiria Terradura (1924): likely the most prominent living name.

4)Ivanne Trebbi (1928): former deputy.

Maria Lisa Cinciari Rodano dead at 102.

 

https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/23_dicembre_02/morta-marisa-rodano-ultima-deputata-della-prima-legislatura-aveva-102-anni-protagonista-di-tante-battaglie-per-le-donne-9eef48e7-f894-4b71-98e8-31afb3f99xlk.shtml

[arghton 6,124]

On 18/05/2023 at 19:22, arghton said:

As we're listing lasts...

 

Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 aka. "soomepoisid" ("Finnish Boys"). Estonian volunteers who fought for Finland. 

There were 134 at the start of 2017. This article from early 2021 says that there are 15 living in Estonia and "around twenty" outside Estonia. A very recent source says there are have been only four in Estonia since Oliver Tammsalu died a month ago. Soomepoisid facebook said in June 2022 that there should be a total of around 18 alive.

 

Addold Mossin, 103: Neopaganist and political activist. According to online telephone directories, lives in Sweden's Täby. Alive as of December 2022, but last appearance was September 2016 and he was already decrepit back then.

 

Erich Anton, 96: In good health last summer. Died 7 September 2023.

 

Taavi Kaups, 96: Lives in Chicago. Was using a frame in 2021.

 

Lembit Kaselaan, 98: Not in best health but was well enough to be interviewed last year. Died 30 May 2023.

 

Gustav Pitka, 98: Been a while since his last appearance.

 

Edgar Mänd, 98: "In good health" but not seen in years.

 

Heino Sepp, 96: As above.

 

Riho Leipalu, 99: Lives in an apartment building/care home in Rönninge, Sweden.

 

Jaanus Jahilo, 98: Able to walk without aid and still attending events frequently. Probably in the best health out of this group.

 

Artur Roopalu, 98: Still attending events but uses a walking stick.

 

Raivo Rähni, 98: Alive according to Soomepoisid facebook.

 

Endel Hert, 97: As above.

 

Harri Mutvei, 97: Paleozoologist apparently still working! Lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

 

Henry Heino Kivi, 99/100: Alive in 2020 according to Finland's Sotaveteraaniliitto and the Soomepoisid facebook wished him a happy birthday in 2023. 

Riho Leipalu dead at 100.

[Sinbabad 829]

On 25/11/2023 at 15:08, The Immortal said:

Ike Schab wants to go back to Pearl Harbor yet again at the age of 103. He "only" needs even more caregivers than the last time he went, and also an entire entourage to assist him. Oh and that's not all, his family are requesting a special wheelchair so that Ike can take a dip in the Pacific ocean (because apparently that is what he wants to do).

He is asking for fund to go to Hawaii.

[Alex B 83]

Rest in peace to one of Australia's most prominent and widely known WW2 veterans Keith "Chook" Fowler, who passed away on Thursday, November 30th, at the age of 103, and was known for being a POW and survivor of the infamous Burma/Thai death railway that was supervised by the IJA and was also the last surviving member of the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion of the Second Australian Imperial Force.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-02/sa-world-war-ii-veteran-keith-fowler-dies/103180624

 

[arghton 6,124]

On 27/05/2023 at 18:04, Alex B said:

Here is a list i compiled of WW2 veterans, ranging from soldiers, Resistance members, and people who experienced firsthand the horrors of the war that were born in the 1910s era.

 

...

Huang Decheng [Taiwanese Imperial Japan Serviceman].

(1913-)

...

Huang Decheng, Taiwanese WWII veteran and likely oldest man in Taiwan, dead at 110 from fall complications.

[diego 1,835]

1 hour ago, arghton said:

Huang Decheng, Taiwanese WWII veteran and likely oldest man in Taiwan, dead at 110 from fall complications.

Dong Xiting claims to have been born in 1911, but the date of birth is unknown, he is the oldest man in Taiwan, if the year of birth is correct, but it is not certain. He lives in Keelung
With a known date of birth, Huang was actually the oldest in Taiwan, apparently

[Alex B 83]

On 06/12/2023 at 15:55, arghton said:

Huang Decheng, Taiwanese WWII veteran and likely oldest man in Taiwan, dead at 110 from fall complications.

Here's an updated list as of December 2023:

 

Andre Ludwig [French Resistance].

(1912-)

 

Tripolino Giannini [Royal Italian Army/Regio Esercito].

(1912-)

 

Shi Ping [New Fourth Army of the National Revolutionary Army of the Second Sino-Japanese War].

(1912-)

 

John Tiniswood [Royal Engineers {Postal Section} of the Home Forces Postal Organization of the British Army].

(1912-)

 

Margaret Romans [Latvian Partisans].

(1912-)

 

Maria Farrugia.

(1912-)

 

Rose Girone [The Holocaust].

(1912-)

 

Gunborg Hancock.

(1912-)

 

Ilie Ciocan [Romanian Armed Forces].

(1913-)

 

John Farringdon [United States Engineer Combat Battalion].

(1913-)

 

Ken Weeks [Royal Australian Army Engineers unit].

(1913-)

 

Morrie Markoff [United States Army military machinist].

(1914-)

 

Vitantonio Lovallo [Royal Italian Army/Regio Esercito].

(1914-)

 

Maurice Le Contour [Free French Forces of the Dunkirk evacuation].

(1914-)

 

Ailsa Stewart [Women's Royal Naval Service].

(1914-)

 

Karlheinz Stauber [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1914-)

 

Donald Rose [7th Armored Brigade/Desert Rats].

(1914-)

 

Julia Iverson [Women's Royal Naval Service].

(1914-)

 

James C. Floyd.

(1914-)

 

Yoshiko Miwa [Executive Order 9066].

(1914-)

 

Viola Fletcher [Kaiser Richmond shipyard labor force worker].

(1914-)

 

James Clayton Flowers [Tuskegee Airmen].

(1915-)

 

Harold Nelson [United States Army]

(1915-)

 

Albert Middleton [Royal Canadian Air Force].

(1915-)

 

Min Jingde [Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army of the Second Sino-Japanese War].

(1915-)

 

Burdett Sisler [Royal Canadian Air Force radio technician].

(1915-)

 

Vincenzo Prete [Royal Italian Army/Regio Esercito].

(1915-)

 

Ann Konkel.

(1915-)

 

Phyllis Furness.

(1915-)

 

Ma Shitu.

(1915)

 

Herbert "Drum" Druce [Royal Air Force Spitfire flight engineer].

(1915-)

 

Angelina Searles [Japanese Invasion of Corregidor].

(1915-)

 

Rinaldo Duranti [Royal Italian Army/Regio Esercito].

(1915-)

 

Lake White [Rosie the Riveter munitions worker].

(1915-)

 

 

Werner Ahrens [Reich Labour Service and Panzerwaffe of the Wehrmacht].

(1915-)

 

Gerhard Enger [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1915-)

 

Geneviève Callerot [French Resistance].

(1916-)

 

Ervin "Judge" Wendt [United States Navy of the Battle of Midway].

(1916-)

 

Bill Monfort [Attack on Pearl Harbor].

(1916-)

 

Bruno Kant [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1916-)

 

Leonid Lazarevich Skvortsov [Soviet Red Army].

(1916-)

 

Albert Van Raemdonck [Free Belgian Forces].

(1916-)

 

James Easton [Australian Army & POW of the Thai/Burma railway].

(1916-)

 

Bernhard Beckers [Afrika Korps of the Wehrmacht].

(1916-)

 

Mihaila Ion [Romanian Armed Forces].

(1916-)

 

Joe Harris [Buffalo Soldier of the United States Army].

(1916-)

 

Valentin Roslyakov [Soviet Red Army].

(1916-)

 

Alexander Pierro [United States Army Air Corps loadmaster].

(1916-)

 

Jean Sevin [Free French Forces].

(1916-)

 

Al Klugiewicz [United States Army Thunderbolt division, Horse Cavalry, & Normandy Landings].

(1916-)

 

 

Kurt Debes [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1916-)

 

Heinz Zache [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1916-)

 

 

Ena Collymore-Woodstock [Auxiliary Territorial Service].

(1917-)

 

Makoto Ogawa [Imperial Japanese Army Air Service].

(1917-)

 

John Kinsel Sr. [Navajo Code Talker].

(1917-)

 

Frank Chuman [Executive Order 9066].

(1917-)

 

Nestor da Silva [Brazilian Expeditionary Force].

(1917-)

 

Hellen Guthrie [Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service].

(1917-)

 

Živan Popović [Yugoslav Partisans].

(1917-)

 

Edward Trevland [Royal Norwegian Navy]

(1917-)

 

Albert Libert [Free Belgian Forces].

(1917-)

 

Blažena Strachotová.

(1917-)

 

Colin Wagener [Australian Army].

(1917-)

 

Kurt Gigler [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1917-)

 

Yang You [Second Sino-Japanese War].

(1917-)

 

Cecily Hawkins [Auxiliary Territorial Service].

(1917-)

 

Gerald McCulloch [Royal Air Force plane mechanic].

(1917-)

 

Duane Brewton [2nd Infantry Division of the United States Army].

(1917-)

 

Gotthilf Widmaier [Kriegsmarine].

(1917-)

 

Eunice Byers.

[Last surviving eyewitness to the Battle of Bamber Bridge]

(1917-)

 

Mirjam Bolle-Levie [Judenrat of The Holocaust].

(1917-)

 

Reynolds Tomter [Merchant Marines].

(1917-)

 

Betty Gemmell [Labour Force worker of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia].

(1917-)

 

Robert Coyreau des Loges [Free French Forces].

(1917-)

 

William Precek [48th Evacuation Hospital Unit of the United States Army].

(1917-)

 

Merrill Moore [United States Army].

(1917-)

 

Lloyd Gathright [United States Army].

(1917-)

 

Clarence Sheley [United States Navy].

(1917-)

 

Genevieve Freer [United States War Bonds labour worker].

(1917-)

 

Arnold Von Der Porten [The Holocaust].

(1917-)

 

Feng Hongzhi [Second Sino-Japanese War].

(1917-)

 

 

Helmut Damrath [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1917-)

 

Brenda Milner.

(1918-)

 

Alfons Tomke.

(1918-)

 

Bruno Segre [Italian Resistance].

(1918-)

 

Ernest Horsfall [Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers of the British Army].

(1918-)

 

John Hamilton [British Army of the Dunkirk evacuation].

(1918-)

 

Carlo Domenichini [United States Army Signal Corps].

(1918-)

 

Irene Hosking [United States Army Nurse Corps].

(1918-)

 

Ralph Schnorr [United States Navy].

(1918-)

 

Richard Overman Sr. [United States Army Air Forces].

(1918-)

 

Erdman Blank [Estonian Partisans].

(1918-)

 

Endel Uiga [Estonian Partisans].

(1918-)

 

Joe Veselsky [Czech Resistance].

(1918-)

 

Max D. Liston [United States engineer, scientist, and factory munitions worker].

(1918-)

 

Bob Putnam [United States Navy].

(1918-)

 

Masamitsu Yoshioka.

[Last surviving Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service pilot who took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor]

(1918-)

 

Ervín Hoida.

[Last surviving Czechoslovak veteran of the Battle of France]

(1918-)

 

Toshiko Kato [Executive Order 9066].

(1918-)

 

Bill Wheeler [United States Army Air Forces].

(1918-)

 

John Drake [United States Army].

(1918-)

 

Claude Bell Sr. [United States Army Medical Corps of the United States Army].

(1918-)

 

Frank White [United States Army].

(1918-)

 

Wilbur Britton [United States Army Corps].

(1918-)

 

 

Kurt Anclam [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1918-)

 

Claus von Boro [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1918-)

 

Rudolf Kiwitter [Heer/Wehrmacht]

(1918-)

 

Paul Kraszon [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1918-)

 

Helmut Kuhny [Heer/Wehrmacht].

(1918-)

 

John Hemingway.

[Royal Air Force pilot of the Normandy Landings & Dunkirk evacuation of the No. 85 RAF Squadron & last surviving pilot of The Few who fought during the Battle of Britain]

(1919-)

 

Nancy Stratford.

[Last surviving Attagirl of the Air Transport Auxiliary]

(1919-)

 

Jim Miller [Royal Australian Air Force].

(1919-)

 

Władysław Siemaszko [Home Army/Armia Krajowa].

(1919-)

 

Pietro Omodeo [Royal Italian Army/Regio Esercito].

(1919-)

 

Klaus Obermeyer.

(1919-)

 

Addold Mossin [Finnish Army].

(1919-)

 

Jack Jennings.

[Last living British POW of the Thai/Burma Death Railway]

(1919-)

 

André Hissink.

[Last living member of the No. 320 Netherlands RAF Squadron]

(1919-)

 

 

Romay Davis [6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the United States Army].

(1919-)

 

Justino Pires de Arruda [Brazilian Expeditionary Force].

(1919-)

 

Hugo Pedro Felisbino.

[Last living Força Expedicionária Brasileira {FEB} male nurse].

(1919-)

 

Tetsuo Sato [Imperial Japanese Army].

(1919-)

 

John Dorsey [Tuskegee Airmen].

(1919-)

 

Les Morice [Australian Army].

(1919-)

 

John Hillman [Royal Air Force].

(1919-)

 

Cecil Parker [Normandy Landings].

(1919-)

 

Roy Hashimura [United States Army].

(1919-)

 

Aleksander Lestan.

(1919-)

 

Jehuda Widawski [The Holocaust].

(1919-)

 

Howard Bier [United States Army Air Forces].

(1919-)

 

E. Gerald Meyer [United States Navy of the United States Naval Research Laboratory].

(1919-)

 

Charlie Duncan [General George Patton's United States Third Army of the U.S Forces].

(1919-)

 

Thomas Gwynn [United States Army].

(1919-)

 

Raymond Whitwell [British Expeditionary Force of the Dunkirk evacuation & Eighth Army of the British Army of the Battle of El Alamein].

(1919-)

 

Arthur Leggett [2/11th Battalion of the Australian Army of the Battle of Tobruk].

(1919-)

 

Hugh Davies [United States Army Air Forces].

(1919-)

 

Sam Mattox [United States Army].

(1919-)

 

 

John Henry Chaney [United States Marine Corps].

(1919-)

 

Morton Katz [509th Parachute Infantry Battalion of the United States Army Air Forces].

(1919-)

Edited December 10, 2023 by Alex B
Adding

[The Immortal 529]

So December 7th has happened and I do have some Pearl Harbor Survivor updates for you.

 

Ike Schab ended up making it to Hawaii after all, as did Freeman Johnson, Herb Elfring and two survivors I weren't aware of, Harry Chandler and Ken Stevens. There were apparently another man expected (not named), but he wasn't feeling well so he missed the ceremony. Lou Conter didn't attend either. https://www.kcra.com/article/survivors-of-pearl-harbor-attack-returning-to-honor-those-who-perished/46063789 

 

There's also 106 year old Bill Monforte, who's most definitely the oldest living survivor. I can also confirm Sterling Cale is still alive. Not counting the anonymous survivor who missed the ceremonies, here are the remaining survivors.

 

Louis Conter (102)

Ike Schab (103)

Freeman Johnson (103)

Bill Monfort (106)

Harry Chandler (102)

Herb Elfring (101)

Ken Stevens (102)

Sterling Cale (102)

[polar duck 481]

Hormidas Fredette, the last Canadian who fought in the Battle of Hong Kong, dead at 106.

[YoungWillz 19,106]

Report of the death of Russell Rusty Waughman, Lancaster pilot awarded the DFC and the AFC and one of the few who returned from the Nuremberg raid in 1944, aged 100: 

Just over a year since this Look North interview:

 

 

[drol 10,067]

Here are the final Ritchie Boys notable for other reasons:

 

1)Victor Brombert (1923): literary scholar

2)Harold Zvi Schiffrin (1921): Sinologist

3)Arno J. Mayer (1926): historian.

 

If Mayer is dead as per Wiki edits, only 2 left and both above 100.

[DoorSlammer 424]

On 07/12/2023 at 15:11, Alex B said:

Here's an updated list as of December 2023:

 

André Hissink.

[Last living member of the No. 320 Netherlands RAF Squadron]

(1919-)

André Hissink dead on New Year's Day at 104.

[Ulitzer95 11,089]

On 17/01/2023 at 00:25, arghton said:

Likely only him and Broch left. 

 

 

Some interesting or uninteresting European names that as far as I know have never been mentioned here before:

 

*snip*

Aris Poulianos - Greek archaeologist, anthropologist. Most known for studying the Petralona skull. And of course also known for controversy on the age of the skull. 98 and seemingly still active.

Aris Poulianos (wiki) was already dead by the time you posted this. Died on 21 March 2021, aged 96, off radar, then his son (also known in the same field) died aged 65 several months later (also off radar).

His Wiki was only updated today to reflect but Vice reported on it in March 2023, and R Thess reported on it in May 2023.

Very surprised his death went unnoticed tbh. Type of death that would translate into a QO given his work.

[Ulitzer95 11,089]

On 05/10/2021 at 18:00, gcreptile said:

Could the last original SAS trooper, Mike Sadler (a DDP pick) be dead? This reddit thread seems to think he passed away, but could just be ignorance:

 

 

On 30/10/2021 at 21:34, Ulitzer95 said:

Just to give a concrete answer to this, Mike Sadler is definitely still alive as The Daily Mail covered him yesterday.

Mike Sadler, last original member of the SAS, died this morning aged 103.

Straight to a Times QO.

I assume he was picked in the DDP. Hope he receives widespread coverage and also earns a Wikipedia page. RIP.

EDIT: Telegraph QO also published.

[The Old Crem 3,181]

6 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

 

Mike Sadler, last original member of the SAS, died this morning aged 103.

Straight to a Times QO.

I assume he was picked in the DDP. Hope he receives widespread coverage and also earns a Wikipedia page. RIP.

He was on two teams last year so hopefully so. Sad news 

[Pedro67 227]

6 hours ago, The Old Crem said:

He was on two teams last year so hopefully so. Sad news 

Yes I persevered with him. Had him as a unique once upon a time.

[time 7,971]

On 30/12/2022 at 11:37, Sinbabad said:

I believe we can say all the Flying Tigers are dead. Frank Losonsky was the last American and died in 2020. If there’s a survivor, he would be a Chinese pilot. But he would be over 100 years old, so I highly doubt it.

Just in from Singapore, news of the death of Flying Tiger Ho Weng Toh, aged 103.