World War II Veterans

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

On 29/12/2018 at 13:20, Sir Creep said:

I remember it being posted because it was or would be followed up by ANOTHER 'Rosie the Riveter' dying, and Sir Creep's tiny mind was befuddled, and it inspired a discussion on these very threads (I thought) about how Rosie the Riveter was an image moreso than a person and so there were many not one.  Perhaps this discussion happened in my home DP page instead.  'twas one or the other.

SC

Your tiny mind is about to become "befuddled" once again.

Phyllis Gould, another one of the "Rosie the Riveters", dead from a stroke just shy of her 100th birthday.

Visited the White House to meet Obama in 2014. Surely can't be many left now.

Times obituary.

[gcreptile 10,228]

So I was looking at my mostly forgotten picks in the Arghton's deadpool, and stumbled across the funeral of "Bletchley Girl" Marigold Freeman-Attwood. Died in May at 98:

https://vimeo.com/566780865

https://groups.google.com/g/peerage-news/c/_PowcA7G6GU

 

Also, another Bletchley Girl of mine, Jean Pitt-Lewis, mentioned in this church letter, don't know what that means though: https://stmarysrcchepstow.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Monmouth-Newsletter-3th-November-2019.pdf

 

 

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

58 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

So I was looking at my mostly forgotten picks in the Arghton's deadpool, and stumbled across the funeral of "Bletchley Girl" Marigold Freeman-Attwood. Died in May at 98:

https://vimeo.com/566780865

https://groups.google.com/g/peerage-news/c/_PowcA7G6GU

 

Also, another Bletchley Girl of mine, Jean Pitt-Lewis, mentioned in this church letter, don't know what that means though: https://stmarysrcchepstow.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Monmouth-Newsletter-3th-November-2019.pdf

 

 

I've looked on FB, Twitter, Google, Ancestry, the GRO, wills etc. Can't find shit. She was still active in September 2018, aged 94. 

The GRO still doesn't include a lot of the deaths from the end of 2019, let alone 2020 and 2021. They really need to get it updated. 

[arghton 6,121]

Oldest surviving Lotta Svärd auxiliary paramilitary member and Finland's third-oldest person Salme Haltia dead aged 109:

https://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/a/710c5b7c-0fc0-4721-af00-48263ffccb1e

Here meeting the Finnish President in December 2018.

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

Earl P. Yates (wiki), also known as Buddy Yates, a WWII veteran who later went on to become a prominent rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, commanding the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, dead at 97.

[arghton 6,121]

Some updating and checking...

 

On 07/04/2021 at 23:40, arghton said:

I was wondering how many recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross are alive or could be alive...

What I found:

 

 

WIKIPEDIA: Hugo Broch (born 1922) Luftwaffe ace. Still looked great at 95. Most likely won't die off radar.

 

Heinz Rafoth (born 1923) According to warrelics.eu, was alive in 2020

Johann Hans Trummer (born 1920) According to the same site, was alive in 2020

Jakob Kuchar (born 1923) Mentioned alive in 2020, but I can't find any other source confirming this

Lorenz Neumayr (born 1926) Mentioned possibly alive on the same site. However in a later post it is mentioned that he is probably dead.

Helmut Wieselhuber (born 1922) Mentioned alive by the axishistory forum in 2010 and by warrelics.eu in 2020

Gerhard Zoppoth (born 1923) Mentioned alive by warrelics eu in 2020

 

Ones that have died since January 2020:

Ludwig Bauer (1923-2020)

Paul-Georg Kleffel (1920-2020)

WIKIPEDIA: Karl-Günther von Hase (born 1917-2021) German Ambassador to the United Kingdom 1970-1977.

Jakob Kuchar apparently died on 1st of January 2020: https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/85050/Kuchar-Jakob.htm, means that there are likely only six or less of them left.

 

On 04/05/2021 at 20:52, arghton said:

Current WWII "lasts" and detailed mentions of what they are the last of:

 

John Hemingway (b. 1919) Last surviving airman of the Battle of Britain, 1940 (The Few). 3000 were awarded the "Battle of Britain" clasp.

Traute Lafrenz (b. 1919) Last surviving member of the White Rose, an anti-Nazi group. There were atleast 25 members.

Aliza Melamed Vitis-Shomron (b. 1928) Last Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943) participant. 56065 were killed or captured.

Emanuele Di Porto (b. 1931) Last survivor of the Raid of the Ghetto of Rome, 1943. 1259 people were detained, 16 survived.

Robert Hébras (b. 1925) Last survivor of Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, 1944. 642 of the 652 inhabitants of the town died, 10 survived.

Teruo Murakami (b. 1920/1921) Last participant of the Cowra breakout, 1944, when 1104 Japanese POWs attempted to escape a prison camp. Around 545 escaped, 235 died.

William "Bill" Leibold (b. 1923?) Last survivor of the sinking of submarine USS Tang. Nine survived out of the crew of 87.

Luciano "Louis" C. Graziano (b. 1922/1923) Last witness of the German Surrender ceremony.

Galina Brock-Beltsova (b. 1924/1925) Last pilot of the Night Witches, (588th Night Bomber Regiment) an all-female bomber regiment. 261 people served in the regiment, 32 died in WWII.

Edward Shames (b. 1922) Last officer of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion ("Screaming Eagles") in WWII.

Hubert Germain (b. 1920) Last surviving Companion of the Order of Liberation. 1038 people were awarded this, 270 posthumously.

George "Johnny" Johnston (b. 1921) Last surviving member of the original 617 Squadron and last participant of the "Dambusters" raid (Operation Chastise) of 1943. 80 of the 133 dambusters survived Operation Chastise.

John Cruickshank (b. 1920) Last WWII Victoria Cross recipient. Awarded 182 times to 181 recipients during WWII.

Kenneth Mayhew (b. 1917) Last WWII Military Order of William knight out of the around 190 awarded.

Hershel W. Williams (b. 1923) Last WWII Medal of Honour recipient. 464 were awarded, 266 posthumously.

More:

 

Richard M. Barancik (1924-) Last Monuments Man

Emil Boček (1923-) Last Czech RAF pilot

Dean Caswell (1922-) (article) Last surviving US Marine flying ace

Léon Gautier (1922-) Last surviving member of Commando Kieffer

Lee Hak-rae (1924/1925-2021) Last surviving convicted Korean war criminal (article)

Ivan Martynushkin (1923-) Last Auschwitz liberator

Paul Priest (1925-) Last veteran of the Battle of Remagen (article, not available in the EU)

Jack Shearer (1921-) Last surviving member of the SACO.

 

 

16th of November 2021 additions:

 

Carlos Garduño Nuñez (1919-2022) Last surviving Aztec Eagles pilot.

Max Gilbert (1921-) Last Ambon Island POW camp survivor.

Ebou Janha (ca. 1919-2022) Last surviving veteran of the 1 Gambia Regiment.

-----

[arghton 6,121]

Corporal Jan Kjellberg, last of the 404 Swedes who volunteered to help Finland during World War II and joined the Svenska frivilligkompaniet (Swedish wiki, 1942-1944) has died aged 97.

 

A while ago I also found out that there's a living Finnish Tatar WWII veteran:

https://sotaveteraanit.fi/100-vuotta-tayttava-osman-abdrahim-jos-olisin-kerennyt-telttaan-olisin-ollut-ihan-reikia-taynna-kotoa-lahetetty-teepaketti-pelasti-espoolaisveteraanin-hengen/

Osman Abdrahim (1921-) was one of the 177 Finnish Tatars who fought in WWII and likely the last one alive. Still in a great condition and can walk without a stick.

[time 7,950]

Harry Melling, Britain's last surviving WWII submariner, has died aged 101.

[arghton 6,121]

https://adevarul.ro/locale/constanta/unde-inmormantat-ion-dobran-eroul-de-al-doilea-razboi-mondial-1_614ed8ec5163ec42719edeb0/index.html

Romanian WWII flying ace Ion Dobran died on Friday (24th September) aged 102.

[roaming_comrade 454]

18 minutes ago, arghton said:

https://adevarul.ro/locale/constanta/unde-inmormantat-ion-dobran-eroul-de-al-doilea-razboi-mondial-1_614ed8ec5163ec42719edeb0/index.html

Romanian WWII flying ace Ion Dobran died on Friday (24th September) aged 102.

Was also the last Romanian Fighter Pilot according to a few news pages I auto-translated. Fought missions against literally everyone, Soviets, British, Americans and Germans.

[arghton 6,121]

On 07/04/2021 at 23:40, arghton said:

I was wondering how many recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross are alive or could be alive...

What I found:

 

 

WIKIPEDIA: Hugo Broch (born 1922) Luftwaffe ace. Still looked great at 95. Most likely won't die off radar.

 

Heinz Rafoth (born 1923) According to warrelics.eu, was alive in 2020

Johann Hans Trummer (born 1920) According to the same site, was alive in 2020

Lorenz Neumayr (born 1926) Mentioned possibly alive on the same site. However in a later post it is mentioned that he is probably dead.

Helmut Wieselhuber (born 1922) Mentioned alive by the axishistory forum in 2010 and by warrelics.eu in 2020

Gerhard Zoppoth (born 1923) Mentioned alive by warrelics eu in 2020

Gerhard Zoppoth died on 13th of September according to TracesOfWar and twitter.

[gcreptile 10,228]

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:

 

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

21 minutes ago, 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:

 

Possibly just general ignorance. There were scores of Facebook military groups that spoke about him and some were directly in touch. I can't see anything about his death on there.

He was born in London in 1920 as Michael Sadler, and was living in Cheltenham a few years ago. I can't see anything on Ancestry or the Probate records which even remotely matches this.

In danger of sounding like a broken record here, but we really really really need the GRO to be updated. It's getting ridiculous now. Was just thinking that earlier when I saw @YoungWillz pull up that tweet about Gayleen Pease dying off radar. We could've potentially confirmed that on there as she was British.

[YoungWillz 19,045]

Victor Gregg, sentenced to death in Dresden as a POW, survived and became an author, reportedly dead at 102: 

His works include Rifleman and Dresden, A Survivor's Story.

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

5 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Victor Gregg, sentenced to death in Dresden as a POW, survived and became an author, reportedly dead at 102: 

His works include Rifleman and Dresden, A Survivor's Story.

That's a sad one.

A DDP pick by two teams back in 2014. 

Should get a QO, given how many morning sofa appearances he made on the telly.

[YoungWillz 19,045]

Oops, just noticed Victor Gregg has an IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7123426/

 

Here is an article from a couple of years ago, showing the bio for him is incorrect as his wife Betty died around that time, so she isn't still alive: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10928737/ww2-veteran-100-firebombing-dresden/

 

Thanks to @Ulitzer95 for the above which was my next check! 

[arghton 6,121]

Sgt. Zinaida Korneva dead aged 99:

https://www.fontanka.ru/2021/10/12/70188305/

She was a head of an observation post in the Air Surveillance Units of the Soviet Union during WWII and took part in the Battle of Breslau. However she was more known from being the "Captain Tom of Russia", raising 4.5 million rubles for covid doctors by talking on instagram and youtube.

 

[DCI Frank Burnside 2,685]

 

[I.R.Baboon 206]

Hubert Germain has died: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/12/hubert-germain-last-of-elite-group-of-french-resistance-fighters-dies?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[The Old Crem 3,173]

21 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

That's a sad one.

A DDP pick by two teams back in 2014. 

Should get a QO, given how many morning sofa appearances he made on the telly.

Mirror

[Luca@1996 47]

Ewald Schwarze was Born in 1912 (now 109 years old), he served in the military in Nazi Germany during WWII. He was a prisoner of the Soviets until 1948.

 

https://www.nw.de/lokal/kreis_minden_luebbecke/pr_oldendorf/22297322_Erinnerungen-an-die-Waehrungsreform-1948-Die-Geldtruhe-war-rappelvoll.html

[arghton 6,121]

Going through people interviewed in the "Sata tarinaa sodasta" ("One hundred stories about war") Ilta-Sanomat interviews in 2017. These 100 Finnish war veterans/people who experienced the war were interviewed, interesting to see how many are still alive:

 

 

Part 1:

Spoiler

1. Jaakko Estola (1918-2023) Captain, friend of late president Mauno Koivisto

2. Heikki Mälkki (1924-2021) Sub-lieutenant, Justice of the Supreme Court of Finland 1971-1982 and President of the Court of Appeal (Helsinki) 1982-1988

3. Irma Lähdesmäki (1926-) Lotta Svärd auxiliary paramilitary member 1936-1944

4. Sakari Sippola (1925-2018) Sergeant, Hallintoneuvos of the Supreme Administrative Court 1976-1995

5. Erkki Mäkilä (1924-2023) Private

6. Reino Kurvinen (1924-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

7. Veikko Määttänen (1918-2022) Staff Sergeant

8. Antti Henttonen (1922-2022) Lieutenant, counsellor of education, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Opettaja (Teacher) from 1953 to 1983 and the first person to shake hands with the president of Finland at the Independence Day Reception of 2011

9. Frans Krogell (1921-2019) Sergeant, war invalid

10. Matti Aitto-Oja (1920-2021) Vääpeli/first sergeant and the last living veteran of JR 12

11. Aira Kojo (1931-) Pikkulotta of Lotta Svärd

12. Olli Vuorio (1919-) Major

13. Olavi Sorvari (1925-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

14. Olavi Aulamo (1925-) Sergeant

15. Lars Löflund (1923-) Lieutenant

16. Ilmari Koppinen (1918-) Senior lieutenant, runner and record breaking centenarian sportperson

17. Ahti Jokinen (1924-2017) Private, died before the interviews were released

18. Olli Hovi (1924-) Alikersantti/underlieutenant

19. Kaarina Peltola (1926-) Lotta Svärd member

20. Olavi Lösönen (1926-2019) Sergeant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inY1AxLjbbY (Interviews 1-20, missing captions)

 

Part 2:

Spoiler

21. Leo Merisalo (1925-) Corporal

22. Esko Takala (1926-) Private

23. Heikki Mäntymaa (1924-) Sergeant

24. Harry Hellen (1925-) Senior lieutenant

25. Ola Miettinen (1924-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

26. Paavo Pensamo (1925-2017) Corporal, politician

27. Elma Jormakka (1924-2022) Lotta Svärd member

28. Matti Jutila (1925-) Corporal

29. Kalevi Launiainen (1924-) Private

30. Paavo Saviaro (1925-) Private

31. Timo Salokannel (1923-) Private, still active

32. Väinö Leppänen (1925-2023) Corporal

33. Pekka Pakkala (1920-2020) Alikersantti/undersergeant

34. Lauraliisa Pitkänen (1924-) Lotta Svärd member

35. Niilo Ala-Heikkilä (1920-) Sergeant, war invalid. Still active

36. Risto Kiiskilä (1924-2022) Alikersantti/undersergeant

37. Eino Hartikainen (1918-2016) Sergeant, died before the interviews were released

38. Väinö Kunnas (1926-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

39. Aimo Reinikainen (1924-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

40. Jaakko Huotari (1922-) Private

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFFUA_0n4hc (Interviews 21-40)

 

Part 3:

Spoiler

41. Tola Toivinen (1918-2018) Senior lieutenant, engineer

42. Fanny Mönkkönen (1921-) Lotta Svärd member

43. Eino Kinnunen (1923-) Corporal, had bullets in both of his lungs

44. Olli Kivioja (1925-2018) Medical lieutenant

45. Eeva Tapio (1927-2019) Lotta Svärd member, member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters

46. Pentti Vanamo (1925-) Sergeant, wanted to join the SS

47. Onni Sarilampi (1923-2019) Sergeant

48. Kaarina Alvajärvi (1922-) Lotta Svärd member, operated a searchlight

49. Veijo Saloheimo (1924-2020) Senior lieutenant, historian

50. Heikki Aho (1924-) Private, border guard

51. Leo Jokelainen (1923-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

52. Kauko Kaapeli (1925-2021) Sergeant

53. Matti Orrela (1922-) Corporal

54. Jukka Simola (1926-2020) Alikersantti/undersergeant

55. Kosti Keski-Nummi (1923-2018) Senior lieutenant, flying ace with 5,5 victories

56. Paavo Mikkola (1924-) Corporal

57. Veikko Ilmasti (1928-) Alikersantti/undersergeant, inventor

58. Veikko Jokinen (1923-) Sergeant, mechanic

59. Taisto Tähkämaa (1924-) Corporal, Parliament member 1970-1991, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry 1979-1982 and 1982-1983 and Minister of Defence 1977-1979

60. Jaakko Heikinheimo (1927-) Volunteer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwtiqhF5Rvg (Interviews 41-60)

 

Part 4:

Spoiler

61. Hans Andersson (1922-2023) Senior lieutenant

62. Lauri Lähteenmäki (1922-2017) Captain lieutenant, died before the interviews were released

63. Aune Rahola (1923-2020) Lotta Svärd member, radist

64. Aatto Mukari (1924-) Jäger

65. Aira Samulin/Aira Suvio-Samulin (1927-2023) Lotta Svärd member, dance teacher and entrepreneur

66. Reino Lehväslaiho (1922-2019) Vääpeli (company sergeant major), panzer ace, "sotakamreeri" and author

67. Lauri Hemmi (1925-2022) Sergeant

68. Markus Aaltonen (1918-2018) Sergeant

69. Tarmo Ahti (1915-2019) Sergeant

70. Martti Lehtovaara (1920-2019) Ylikersantti

71. Kaino Kauranen (1924-) Private, one of the olympic torch carriers in 1952

72. Antti Jahkonen (1925-) Corporal, in great health

73. Helmi Kotkanen (1925-) Lotta Svärd member

74. Varpu Pöyry (1923-) Lotta Svärd member

75. Esko Pakkala (1925-) Corporal

76. Heikki A. Reenpää (1922-2020) Major, former managing director of Otava and father of Timo Reenpää (1949-2020)

77. Yrjö Kaukiainen (1928-) Sergeant

78. Kauko Ritaluoma (unknown, ca. 1923-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

79. Lauri Kultalahti (1924-) Alikersantti/undersergeant

80. Erkki Pihlapuro (1925-) Armoured division private

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_gvL1s2Cz0 (Interviews 61-80)

 

Part 5:

Spoiler

81. Jouko Eräkorpi (1921-) Senior lieutenant, war invalid

82. Ritva Tuulos (1924-2020) Lotta Svärd member, radist

83. Juhani Eskola (1922-2020) Lieutenant, pilot

84. Elisabeth Rehn (1935-) Lotta Svärd member, Undersecretary General of the United Nations 1995-1999 and Minister of Defence 1990-1995, youngest person interviewed

85. Viljo Lehtinen (1923-) Vääpeli/first sergeant

86. Jouko Korhonen (1921-2023) Senior lieutenant

87. Tuomas Gerdt (1923-2020) Captain, last living recipient of the Mannerheim Cross

88. Mauri Maunula (1921-) Captain, still active

89. Salomon Altschuler (1913-2019) Corporal

90. Saara Kanerva (1912-2019) Lotta Svärd (war censor), oldest person interviewed

91. Lauri Puonti (1924-) "Dieselmatruusi" seaman

92. Pauli Salonius (1919-2017) Ylimatruusi/lance corporal

93. Valto Pusenius (1925-2022) Jäger

94. Erik Holmström (1920-2020) Sergeant

95. Mauno Turunen (1923-2022) Lieutenant

96. Viljo Saari (1921-) Sergeant

97. Milja Eräkorpi (1929-) Lotta Svärd member

98. Eeva-Liisa Kumpulainen (1924-) Lotta Svärd member

99. Jaakko Valtanen (1924-) General, Chief of Defence of the Finnish Defence Forces 1983-1990, first guest to greet the President of Finland in the annual Independence Day Receptions since 2016

100. Yrjö Savola (1923-2022) Sergeant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4WEjrwubQE (Interviews 81-100).

 

[drol 10,048]

On 13/10/2021 at 12:47, Luca@1996 said:

Ewald Schwarze was Born in 1912 (now 109 years old), he served in the military in Nazi Germany during WWII. He was a prisoner of the Soviets until 1948.

 

https://www.nw.de/lokal/kreis_minden_luebbecke/pr_oldendorf/22297322_Erinnerungen-an-die-Waehrungsreform-1948-Die-Geldtruhe-war-rappelvoll.html

Dead

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

On 07/04/2021 at 21:40, arghton said:

I was wondering how many recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross are alive or could be alive...

What I found:

 

 

WIKIPEDIA: Hugo Broch (born 1922) Luftwaffe ace. Still looked great at 95. Most likely won't die off radar.

 

Heinz Rafoth (born 1923) According to warrelics.eu, was alive in 2020

Johann Hans Trummer (born 1920) According to the same site, was alive in 2020

Lorenz Neumayr (born 1926) Mentioned possibly alive on the same site. However in a later post it is mentioned that he is probably dead.

Helmut Wieselhuber (born 1922) Mentioned alive by the axishistory forum in 2010 and by warrelics.eu in 2020

 

Ones that have died since January 2020:

Jakob Kuchar (1923-2020) Mentioned alive in 2020, but I can't find any other source confirming this Died on 1st of January 2020.

Paul-Georg Kleffel (1920-2020) Died on 19th of February 2020.

Ludwig Bauer (1923-2020) Died on 20th of May 2020.

WIKIPEDIA: Karl-Günther von Hase (born 1917-2021) German Ambassador to the United Kingdom 1970-1977. Died on 9th of May 2021.

Gerhard Zoppoth (born 1923) Mentioned alive by warrelics eu in 2020. Died on 13th of September 2021.

Hugo Broch still responding to letters from admirers. Letter below dated 19 Oct 2021. Photo is from circa May 2020.



Very lucid for his age. As you said, Neumayr is possibly living. Wieselhuber is rumoured to have died on 19.07.2007.

As such, Broch, Rafoth, and Trummer are the only three confirmed as alive in 2021.

There were 7384 Knight's Cross recipients altogether. When I joined DL 13 years ago there were a couple of hundred still around.

Broch is likely to be the last survivor, and he is the only one who will receive a QO, owing to his contribution to the Dan Snow documentary in 2017 when he flew in a Spitfire aged 95. He turns 100 on January 6th.

[Ulitzer95 11,021]

Bengal Chronicle reporting the death of Rama Khandwala (wiki), aged 95, India's oldest tour guide and one of the last remaining soldiers of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, a women's infantry branch of the Indian National Army during World War II. Was giving TEDx talks as recent as 2019 and was last interviewed only a few days ago.