On the recordMarch 8, 2011
The lone survivor, the last doughboy of World War I, Frank Buckles, has died at the age of 110. This photograph of Frank Buckles was taken when he was 16 years of age. He lied to numerous recruiters so he could join the United States Army and go ``over there'' in World War I. He served in the Ambulance Corps, rescuing other doughboys who had been wounded in Europe. He came back home to America. During World War II, he was in the Merchant Marines, Merchant Seamen, and he was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines. He was held as a prisoner of war for 3 rac{1}{2} ext{ years}. Later, Frank moved to West Virginia, and he drove his tractor until he was well into his hundreds. This is a photograph taken of him when he was 109 years of age. It was taken not far from here on The D.C. Mall because, you see, it was Frank's wish toward the end of his life that we, as Members of Congress, authorize the building of a memorial to all of the doughboys who served in World War I, all 4 million of them who have all died; 116,000 of them were killed in World War I.
