Harold Gardner
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Harold Ford Gardner (Pennsylvania, December 3, 1898 – October 16, 2006 in Sayre, Pennsylvania) was a veteran of the First World War but served in the United States Army for less than 24 hours.
Gardner signed up for military duty in 1918. He was on a train ready to go to a boot camp on 11 November 1918 - the day the armistice was signed - when he was ordered off by an officer. Gardner received a $1 check for one day's pay.
This was only one of hundreds of stories from Harold's long life. He was a master mechanic and machinist who worked for IBM, Endicott Johnson, City of Binghamton, and Link Aviation as well as Pratt-Whitney during World War II, troubleshooting aircraft engines. He loved to work on antique cars, clocks and guns, and could often be found in his workshop making replacement parts when none could be obtained.
[edit] References
- "Train duty", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, November 11, 2005
- "Man, 107, a passionate pioneer Gardner was last World War I veteran in Pennsylvania" Press and Sun-Bulletin, Greater Binghamton, NY, October 20, 2006
- His obituary
- "Doughboy for a day" Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 21 2006