Richard Arvine Overton

Richard Arvine Overton
Born May 11, 1906
Bastrop County, Texas
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1942–45
Unit 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion (Colored)
Battles/wars South Pacific Theater

This article is about the oldest living veteran of the Second World War. For others with the name Richard Overton, see Richard Overton.

Richard Arvine Overton (born May 11, 1906), is an American centenarian who is the oldest verified surviving American World War II veteran.[1][2][3][4] He lives in Austin, Texas.

Early life and military career

Overton, was born in Bastrop County, Texas to Gentry Overton and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Franklin. His father's paternal grandfather, John Overton Jr., was white, and the son of John Overton. He served in the South Pacific from 1942 through 1945, including stops in Hawaii, Guam, Palau and Iwo Jima. He left the U.S. Army in October 1945 as Sergeant .


Barack Obama shakes hands with Overton at the White House on Veterans Day 2013

After service

Overton worked at local furniture stores before taking a position with the Texas Department of the Treasury in Austin. He was married twice and never had children. Overton gained some attention on the Internet during the Memorial Day weekend in 2013 when he told Fox News he would spend his Memorial Day "smoking cigars and drinking whiskey-stiffened coffee."[5][6]

On that same Memorial Day, Overton met with Texas Governor Rick Perry.[7] Overton was also invited to the White House where he met with President Obama, and to the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, where he was singled out by name for praise by the President.[4][8][9]

References

  1. Royce-Bartlett, Lindy (November 11, 2013). "Oldest World War II vet Richard Overton, 107, honored by President Obama". CNN.com (CNN).
  2. Thuman, Scott (November 11, 2013), Richard Overton honored by President Obama on Veterans Day, WJLA-TV
  3. Toppo, Greg (10 November 2013). "Oldest living WWII vet to meet with Obama". USA Today.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Oldest known WWII veteran honored at Arlington ceremony". Fox News. 11 November 2013.
  5. "America's oldest veteran to spend quiet Memorial Day at Texas home". Fox News. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  6. Golgowski, Nina (25 May 2013). "America's oldest vet, aged 107, who saw comrades fall in WWII to spend Memorial Day with cigars and whiskey-stiffened coffee". London: The Daily Mail. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. "Oldest living WWII vet meets Gov. Perry". My Fox Austin. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. Jackson, David (11 November 2013). "Obama: 'We will never forget' veterans". USA Today.
  9. "President Barack Obama greets Richard Overton", Whitehouse.gov, November 2013