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Moral Majority

2010-07-18T23:54:10Z

Mk5384: /* Pre-Establishment */

:''For the song of the same name by [[Dead Kennedys]], see [[In God We Trust, Inc#Track listing|here]].''
[[Image:Jerry Falwell portrait.jpg|thumb|[[Jerry Falwell]], whose founding of the Moral Majority was a key step in the formation of the New Christian Right]]

The '''Moral Majority''' was a political organization of the [[United States]] which had an [[agenda]] of [[evangelism|evangelical]] [[Christianity|Christian]]-oriented political [[lobbying]]. It was founded in 1979 and dissolved in the late 1980s.

==History==
===Pre-Establishment===

The origins of the Moral Majority can be traced to 1976, when [[Jerry Falwell]] embarked on a series of “I Love America” rallies across the country to raise awareness of social issues important to Falwell.<ref name="Liebman 1983 p. 58">Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 58. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> These rallies were an extension of Falwell’s decision to go against the traditional [[Baptist]] principle of separating religion and politics, a change of heart Falwell says he had when he perceived the decay of the nation’s morality.<ref name="Allitt, Patrick 2003 p. 152">Allitt, Patrick (2003). ''Religion in America Since 1945: A History'', p. 152. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12154-7</ref> Through hosting these rallies, Falwell was able to gauge national support for a formal organization and also raise his profile as a leader. Having already been a part of a well-established network of ministers and ministries, within a few years Falwell was favorably positioned to launch the Moral Majority.

The Moral Majority was formally initiated as a result of a struggle for control of an American [[conservative]] Christian advocacy group known as [[Christian Voice (USA)|Christian Voice]] during 1978. During a news conference by Christian Voice's founder, [[Robert Grant (Christian Leader)|Robert Grant]], he claimed that the [[Christian right|Religious Right]] was a "sham... controlled by three [[Catholics]] and a [[Jew]]." [[Paul Weyrich]], [[Terry Dolan (US political figure)|Terry Dolan]], [[Richard Viguerie]] (the Catholics) and [[Howard Phillips (politics)|Howard Phillips]] (the Jew) left Christian Voice. During a 1979 meeting, they urged televangelist [[Jerry Falwell]] to found Moral Majority ( a phrase coined by Weyrich<ref>A Reverence for Fundamentalism, Lernoux, Penny. The Nation, vol. 248, Issue #0015, April 17, 1989</ref> ). This was also the beginning of the [[New Right|New Christian Right]].<ref name="Martin1996a">{{cite book |last=Martin|first=William|date=1996|title=With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America|location=New York|publisher=Broadway Books|isbn=978-0553067453}}</ref><ref name="Diamond1995a">{{cite book|last=Sara|first=Diamond|authorlink=Sara Diamond|date=1995|title=Roads to Dominion|location=New York|publisher=Guilford Press|isbn=978-0898628647}}</ref>

===Establishment and Organizational Activity===
Falwell and Weyrich founded the Moral Majority in the summer of 1979. The Moral Majority was a southern-oriented organization of the Christian Right, although the Moral Majority’s state chapters and political activity extended beyond the South.<ref name="Liebman 1983 p. 58"/> After the Moral Majority’s establishment, the state chapters grew quickly, with organizations in eighteen states by 1980.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', pp. 31-32. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> The variety of resources available to the Moral Majority at its founding facilitated this rapid expansion, which included Falwell’s “Old Time Gospel Hour” mailing list. In addition, the Moral Majority took control of the “Old Time Gospel Hour’s” publication, ''Journal Champion'', which had been distributed to the show’s donors.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 61. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> Falwell was the organization's best known spokesperson throughout the 1980s. By 1982, Moral Majority surpassed [[Christian Voice (USA)|Christian Voice]] in size and influence.

The Moral Majority’s headquarters were in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], the same city where Falwell was the presiding minister of the nation’s largest independent Baptist church, [[Thomas Road Baptist Church]]. Virginia has been a seat of Christian Right politics, being the state where the [[Christian Coalition of America|Christian Coalition]]’s first headquarters were established. Falwell was at the head of the Moral Majority and maintained an advisory board, constituting the organization’s primary leadership. This leadership was drawn heavily from Falwell’s fellow members of the [[Baptist Bible Fellowship]]. Falwell insisted the Moral Majority leadership also include Catholics and Jews, although not all members of the leadership approved of this inclusion.<ref name="Allitt, Patrick 2003 p. 153">Allitt, Patrick (2003). ''Religion in America Since 1945: A History'', p. 153. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12154-7</ref>

The Moral Majority was an organization made up of conservative Christian [[political action committee]]s which campaigned on issues its personnel believed were important to maintaining its Christian conception of moral law, a conception they believed represented the opinions of the majority of Americans (hence the movement's name). With a membership of millions, the ''Moral Majority'' was one of the largest conservative lobby groups in the [[United States]] and at its height, the Moral Majority claimed over four million members and over two million donors.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1996). ''Onward Christian Soldiers?'', p. 96. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-2696-6</ref> These members were spread out over about twenty state organizations, of which [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]] State was the largest. The Moral Majority was incorporated into the Liberty Federation in 1985, remaining a distinct entity but falling under the Liberty Federation’s larger jurisdiction. By 1987, Falwell retired as the formal head of the Moral Majority, although he maintained an active and visible role within the organization.

===Dissolution===
By the end of [[Ronald Reagan]]'s presidential administration, Christian Right organizations were generally in a phase of decline. After Reagan’s two terms in office, donations were decreasing, possibly because after eight years of Christian Right-supported leadership, the nation did not appear to donators to be in the same state of moral peril as they perceived it to be when Reagan first took office.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1996). ''Onward Christian Soldiers?'', p. 38. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-2696-6</ref> The Moral Majority’s financial base seriously eroded when it became part of the Liberty Federation and financial difficulties ultimately were a major factor in the decision to disband the organization.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1992). ''God’s Warriors'', p. 14. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4263-8</ref> Falwell, though, gave a more optimistic public opinion about the Moral Majority’s dissolution. Announcing the disbandment of the Moral Majority in 1989 in [[Las Vegas metropolitan area|Las Vegas]], Falwell declared, “Our goal has been achieved…The religious right is solidly in place and…religious conservatives in America are now in for the duration.”<ref>Allitt, Patrick (2003). ''Religion in America Since 1945: A History'', p. 198. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12154-7</ref> After the Moral Majority was disbanded, elements of the organization were transferred to the [[Christian Coalition of America|Christian Coalition]] network initiated by [[Pat Robertson]].<ref>Matthews, Terry. "[http://www.wfu.edu/~matthetl/perspectives/thirtyone.html The Christian Coalition-Part II]", RELIGION 166: ''Religious Life in the United States'', [[Wake Forest University]]</ref>

==Organizational Goals and Composition==
The Moral Majority sought to mobilize conservative Americans to become politically active on issues they thought were important. A variety of tactics were used to garner support. These tactics included direct-mail campaigns, telephone hot lines, rallies, and religious television broadcasts.<ref>[[Robert Wuthnow|Wuthnow, Robert]] (1988). ''The Restructuring of American Religion'', p. 205. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-07759-2</ref> Although the Moral Majority only existed for a decade, the Moral Majority became a visible political force very shortly after its founding and was relatively effective in its mobilization goals. According to Robert Liebman and [[Robert Wuthnow]], common explanations for this success include:<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', pp. 55-57. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref>

* The Moral Majority was founded with strong financial backing already in place.
* The Moral Majority’s leaders were in frequent communication with its constituents, enabling consistent messages to resonate throughout all levels of hierarchy.
* The Moral Majority’s leaders generally had previous organizational experience.
*The general public was amenable to the issues the Moral Majority emphasized.

Some issues for which the Moral Majority campaigned included:
<ref name="columbia">{{cite encyclopedia
| title = Moral Majority
| encyclopedia = [[Columbia Encyclopedia]]
| volume = 6th ed.
| publisher = [[Columbia University Press]]
| date = 2004
| url = http://www.bartleby.com/65/e-/E-MoralMajo.html
| accessdate = 2007-08-11 }}</ref>
* outlawing [[abortion]] in all cases
* opposition to state recognition and acceptance of [[homosexuality|homosexual acts]]
* opposition to the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and [[Strategic Arms Limitation Talks]]
* enforcement of a traditional vision of family life
* [[censorship]] of media outlets that promote an "anti-family" agenda

The Moral Majority had adherents in the two major United States political parties, the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], although it exercised far more influence on the former.

==Organizational structure==
The Moral Majority comprised four distinct organizations:<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 54. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref>

* Moral Majority Inc. – the organization’s lobbying division, which addressed issues on local, state, and national levels.
* Moral Majority Foundation – the organization’s educational component, through which the Moral Majority educated ministers and lay people on political issues and conducted voter registration drives.
* Moral Majority Legal Defense Fund – the organization’s legal instrument, used primarily to challenge the [[ACLU]] and [[secular humanism|secular humanist]] issues in court.
* Moral Majority Political Action Committee – the organization’s mechanism for supporting the candidacy of people whose political platforms reflected Moral Majority values.

The state chapters of the Moral Majority were financially independent from the national organization and relied on local resources to conduct their activities. Consequently, the national organization encouraged local chapters to cooperate with their policies but had little control over local chapters’ activities.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 70. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> Political activity of the Moral Majority divided accordingly, with the national Moral Majority office usually focused on addressing multiple issues through Congress while local branches tended to work on a single issue within their respective states.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 71. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref>

==Political Involvement==
The Moral Majority engaged in political activity in a variety of ways, including national media campaigns and [[grassroots]] organization aimed at supporting particular candidates in elections and using mail and phone calls to reach office-holders.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1996). ''Onward Christian Soldiers?'', p. 86. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-2696-6</ref> The Moral Majority’s initial political actions were aimed at supporting [[Jesse Helms]]’ proposed legislation on [[school prayer]].<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 34. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> Before long, the Moral Majority became heavily invested in presidential elections and national politics; although at the state level branches of the Moral Majority continued to pursue specific issues at lower levels of government. As far as elections, state Moral Majority chapters tended to deliberately focus their efforts towards particular candidates. For example, state chapters participated in campaigns to oust liberal members of Congress during the 1980 election. Also, in 1981, the Moral Majority mobilized delegates to the Virginia Republican state nominating convention in order to support Guy Farley, an evangelical candidate for lieutenant governor.<ref>Rozell, Mark J. and Clyde Wilcox (2003). “Virginia: Birthplace of the Christian Right,” ''The Christian Right in American Politics'', ed. John C. Green, et. al., p. 43. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. ISBN 0-87840-393-0</ref>

Nationally, the Moral Majority encouraged electoral participation among its members and used registration drives to register church-goers to vote, with the logic that Moral Majority members would be likely to vote for Moral Majority-endorsed candidates, thus strengthening the organization’s electoral efficacy and strengthening its endorsements. Leaders within the Moral Majority asked ministers give their congregants political direction, reminding congregants when to vote, who to vote for, and why the Moral Majority held particular positions on issues.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 37. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> The Moral Majority, however, is probably best known for its involvement in presidential elections, specifically those of Ronald Reagan.

===Presidential Elections===
The 1976 election of [[Jimmy Carter]] as President of the United States marked a milestone for evangelical Christians. For the first time, a self-professed evangelical Christian had been elected to the nation’s highest office, bringing the national awareness of evangelical Christianity to a new level. Despite commonality in religious identification, however, evangelical Christians in general and eventually the newly-formed Moral Majority in particular would come to be disappointed with Carter’s policies. Carter did not share the Moral Majority’s political imperative to unify personal and political positions and would instead support the positions of his own party, the Democratic Party, that were at odds with his personal religious stances. In particular, Carter did not actively oppose his party’s general pro-choice platform on abortion, nor did Carter work to bridge the church-state divide, both factors in the Moral Majority’s decision to support Ronald Reagan’s candidacy in 1980.<ref name="Allitt, Patrick 2003 p. 152"/>

====1980====
The Moral Majority was a relatively early supporter of Reagan, with Falwell announcing the organization’s endorsement of Reagan before the Republican convention.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 36. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> Naturally, the Moral Majority continued working on behalf of Reagan after he gained the Republican nomination. Following the organization’s heed, more than one-fifth of Moral Majority supporters voted for Reagan in 1980 that had supported Carter in 1976.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1992). ''God’s Warriors'', p. 117. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4263-8</ref> After Reagan’s victory, Falwell announced Reagan’s success was directly due to the Moral Majority and others registering and encouraging church-goers to vote who had never before been politically active.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1992). ''God’s Warriors'', p. 96. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4263-8</ref> Empirical evidence suggests that Falwell’s claim about the role of Christian Right organizations in Reagan’s victory has some truth, thought difficult to determine definitively.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1992). ''God’s Warriors'', pp. 115-117. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4263-8</ref>

Reagan sought the input from the Moral Majority leadership during his campaign and appointed the Rev. Robert Billings, the Moral Majority’s first executive director, to be a religious advisor to the campaign.<ref>Liebman, Robert and [[Robert Wuthnow]] (1983) ''The New Christian Right'', p. 60. New York: Aldine Publishing Company. ISBN 0-202-30307-2</ref> Later, Reagan appointed Billings to a position the Department of Education. This appointment was particularly significant for the Moral Majority, which had lobbied on education policy issues, especially those regarding private schools.<ref>Wald, Kenneth (1997). ''Religion and Politics in the United States'', p. 137. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press. ISBN 1-56802-157-7</ref>

====1984====
The Moral Majority maintained their support for Reagan’s 1984 reelection campaign and, alongside other Christian Right organizations, influenced the Republican platform for the election, shaping the party’s campaign stances on school prayer and abortion.<ref>Johnson, Stephen D. and Joseph B. Tamney (1985). “The Christian Right and the 1984 Presidential Election,” p. 125. ''Review of Religious Research'' 27(2), 124-133. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3511667]. Retrieved on March 11, 2009.</ref> The nation’s political climate, however, had changed since Reagan’s first campaign. Although Reagan won reelection, the role of the Moral Majority in the victory had changed since 1980. A study of voters in the 1984 election showed that more anti-Moral Majority voters voted for [[Walter Mondale]] than pro-Moral Majority voters voted for Reagan, suggesting the Moral Majority may have actually had a negative effect on Reagan’s campaign.<ref>Johnson, Stephen D. and Joseph B. Tamney (1985). “The Christian Right and the 1984 Presidential Election,” p. 124. ''Review of Religious Research'' 27(2), 124-133. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3511667]. Retrieved on March 11, 2009.</ref>

====1988====
1988 was the last presidential election for which the Moral Majority was an active organization. Reagan having reached his two-term limit, the Republican nomination was open to a variety of primary contenders. The evangelical minister and televangelist Rev. Pat Robertson sought the Republican nomination and would have been, at first glance, a natural choice for the Moral Majority’s support. Although Robertson’s political platforms were extremely similar to the ones the Moral Majority supported, Falwell gave his organization’s endorsement to contender [[George H. W. Bush]] instead. Falwell’s decision highlighted the rivalry between Falwell and Robertson as televangelists but also revealed the deep-seated tension that still persisted between competing evangelical traditions – Falwell’s [[Fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalist]] tradition was at odds with Robertson’s [[Charismatic Christianity|charismatic]] tradition.<ref>Wilcox, Clyde (1992). ''God’s Warriors'', p. xv. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4263-8</ref>

==Challenges to the Moral Majority==
The Moral Majority experienced friction with other evangelical leaders and organizations as well as liberal leaders and organizations. For example, [[Bob Jones III|Bob Jones]] particularly sought to challenge the public position of the Moral Majority and was known to make public statements that the Moral Majority was an instrument of Satan.<ref name="Allitt, Patrick 2003 p. 153"/> Such rivalries affected the Moral Majority’s grassroots efforts, like in South Carolina where the Moral Majority had no presence because [[Bob Jones University]]’s religious network had already organized the state’s independent Baptists.<ref>Vinson, C. Danielle and James L. Guth (2003). “Advance and Retreat in the Palmetto State: Assessing the Christian Right in South Carolina,” ''The Christian Right in American Politics'', ed. John C. Green, et. al., p. 23. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. ISBN 0-87840-393-0</ref> The tension between Falwell and Pat Robertson also affected the Moral Majority, as noted in the presidential elections section of this article. On the ideologically opposed side, [[Norman Lear]]’s liberal organization [[People for the American Way]] was formed with the specific intention of opposing the platforms of the Moral Majority and other Christian Right organizations.<ref>Williams, Peter W. (1988). ''America’s Religions'', p. 482. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-252-02663-2</ref>

==The Moral Majority Coalition==
In November 2004, Falwell revived the Moral Majority name for a new organization, the Moral Majority Coalition. The intent of the organization is to continue the "evangelical revolution" to help conservative politicians get elected. Referring to the Coalition as a "21st century resurrection of the Moral Majority," Falwell, a father of the modern "religious right" political movement, committed to leading the organization for four years<ref name="timeline">[http://www.moralmajority.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=29 Moral Majority Timeline]</ref>, but died on May 15, 2007.<ref name="falwelldeath">[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18679412/ Moral Majority founder Falwell dies]. [[MSNBC]], May 15, 2007.</ref>

==Notable people within the movement==
*[[Jerry Falwell]] (Founder)
*[[Richard Viguerie]]
*[[Paul Weyrich]]
*[[Robert Grant (Christian Leader)|Robert Grant]]
*[[Pat Robertson]]
*[[Tim LaHaye]]
*[[Beverly LaHaye]]
*[[Judith A. Reisman]]
*[[Charles Stanley (evangelist)|Charles Stanley]]
*[[James Kennedy (televangelist)|James Kennedy]]
*[[Trent Lott]]
*[[Jesse Helms]]

==See also==
* [[Christian Coalition of America]]
* [[Christian Right]]
* [[Moralism]]
* [[Save Our Children]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.moralmajority.com/ Moral Majority Coalition]

[[Category:Christian political organizations]]
[[Category:Political organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in the United States]]
[[Category:New Right (United States)]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1979]]

[[ar:منظمة الأغلبية الأخلاقية]]
[[fr:Moral Majority]]
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Frank Buckles

2010-07-16T15:29:25Z

Mk5384: /* Biography */

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri]], United States
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casual Detachment
| commands =
| battles = World War I
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living American veteran of World War I and the oldest verified World War I veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], in [[Charles Town, West Virginia]], and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in World War I in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''"I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[RMS Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. While on the Carpathia, Buckles spoke with crewmembers who had taken part in the rescue of ''Titanic'' survivors. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942, and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On 4 February 2008, with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with President [[George W. Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the World War I Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[File:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor World War I vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html][http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
{|
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|ribbon=Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|ribbon=Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|} </center>
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |work=[[The Kansas City Star]] |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. The keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|Biography|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Joey Chestnut

2010-07-04T20:51:31Z

Mk5384: fixed run on sentence

{{BLP sources|date=September 2009}}
{{Infobox Person
| name = Joey "Jaws" Chestnut
| image = Joey Chestnut in 2007.jpg
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1983|11|25}}
| birth_place = [[Vallejo, California]]
| occupation = Professional Competitive Eater with Major League Eating/ Construction Engineer
| spouse = none
| parents = Merlin and Alicia Chestnut
| children = none
}}
'''Joseph Christian''' "'''Jaws'''" '''Chestnut''' (born November 25, 1983) is a {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}}, 218-pound engineering student who is more popularly recognized as an [[United States|American]] [[competitive eater]]. He is currently ranked first<ref>[http://www.ifoce.com/rankings.php Current IFOCE world rankings].</ref> in the world by the [[International Federation of Competitive Eating]]. He is a [[Vallejo, California]], native who currently resides in [[San Jose, California]].

On July 4, 2007, Chestnut won the 92nd Annual [[Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest]], beating six-time defending champion [[Takeru Kobayashi|Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi]] by consuming 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes, which set a new world record. The following year, he successfully defended his title by winning a 5 hot dog eat-off after tying Kobayashi in consuming 59 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. On July 4, 2009, Chestnut outlasted Kobayashi again, by consuming a new world record of 68 hot dogs and buns and winning his third consecutive title. On July 4th, 2010, Chestnut took home his 4th consecutive Mustard Belt eating 54 dogs and buns. The 2010 contest was a runaway victory, as Kobayashi did not compete due to a contract dispute with Major League Eating.<ref> http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gcGopnuOExcw9Fbm-rqFhVGe8RxQD9GOCE4G1 </ref>

==Eating history==
Chestnut, a [[San José State University]] student, entered the competitive eating scene in 2005 with a break-out performance in the deep-fried [[asparagus]] eating championship, in which he beat high-ranked eater [[Rich LeFevre]] by eating 6.3 pounds of asparagus in 11.5 minutes. That same year, during Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, he downed 32 dogs, placing third behind [[Takeru Kobayashi]] and [[Sonya Thomas]].

Chestnut defeated [[Sonya Thomas]] in the [[Waffle House]] World Waffle Eating Championship and placed second to her in a [[Krystal Square Off]] World Hamburger Eating Championship qualifier, downing 56 Krystal Burgers in eight minutes to her 57. He later beat her by eating 91 hamburgers in the finals, finishing second to the 97 hamburgers consumed by Kobayashi.

Chestnut qualified for the 2006 Nathan's Contest by eating 50 hot dogs with buns. As July 4 approached, there was speculation that 2006 might be the year when Kobayashi would be beaten.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070300263.html U.S. Pins Wiener-Eating Hopes on Chestnut]. ''WashingtonPost.com''. 2006-07-03.</ref> It was not to be, however. Although Chestnut turned in a great performance, leading Kobayashi through most of the contest, the final tally put Chestnut at 52 and Kobayashi at 53-3/4 (a new world record).

In 2007, Chestnut won the [[Wing Bowl]] XV, another installment of the annual [[Philadelphia]] event at the [[Wachovia Center]]. In this competition, he ate 182 [[chicken wings]] in 30 minutes, becoming a Wing Bowl champion and record holder.

Chestnut drank a gallon of milk in 41 seconds, but did not verify that he completed "The Milk Challenge" by keeping it down for the requisite one hour.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxoVPrXEebY</ref>

On July 4, 2007, Chestnut and Kobayashi battled the field in a record-setting hot dog eating battle in [[Coney Island]], [[Brooklyn, New York]], at Nathan's Contest. Chestnut knocked off Kobayashi 66-63, leading to the latter's first defeat in the contest in six years.

On October 28, 2007 between 2:33 and 2:41, Chestnut ate 103 [[Krystal (restaurant)|Krystal]] burgers in the [[Krystal Square Off]] World Hamburger Eating Championship in [[Chattanooga]], [[Tennessee]]. This was Chestnut's personal best, and is the new world record.

Starting off 2008 very well, Chestnut has already set two new world records. He devoured 241 wings in 30 minutes at the Wing Bowl XVI in Philadelphia on February 1, and he ate 78 matzo balls during Kenny & Ziggy's World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship in Houston, Texas on March 2.

On July 4, 2008, Chestnut tied Takeru Kobayashi in the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Contest after eating 59 HDB in 10 minutes. The tie resulted in a 5-hotdog eat-off, which Chestnut won by consuming all 5 hot dogs before Kobayashi. The 59 is a new record in the competition based on the reduction from 12 minutes to 10 minutes. Chestnut, 24, weighed in at 102 kilograms (225 pounds).<ref>[http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080706/FEAT0108/807060331 journalgazette.net, 3RF contest could be a wiener]</ref>

On July 28, 2008, Chestnut lost to Takeru Kobayashi in Chicken Satay eating in the MLE Asia inaugural event. He consumed just over 4 kilos to Kobayashi's almost 5.5.

On August 23, 2008, Chestnut defeated #2 IFOCE ranked competitive eater [[Patrick Bertoletti|Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti]] in the 2nd Gyoza Eating Championship in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. He devoured 231 gyoza, setting a new world record; he beat his previous record of 212, set in the inaugural event in 2006 when he narrowly defeated Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas (210). Thomas did not attend the 2008 event due to budgetary and travel costs.

On October 12, 2008, he consumed 45 slices of pizza, winning the "Famous Famiglia World Pizza Eating Championship", which was held in New York's Times Square. This would be a brief record until Bertoletti would consume 47 slices a few weeks later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081013/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pizza_eating_contest;_ylt=Alq_eas9eOxKgHoiAZJ6zDSs0NUE|title=Eating champ delivers top pizza performance in NY |accessdate=2008-12-10}}</ref>

On February 21, 2009, he consumed 10 and a half pounds of macaroni and cheese in seven minutes during halftime at the [[San Jose Stealth]] [[lacrosse]] game, beating out his contestants and adding another world record to his name.
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sjstealth.com/articles/view/225/|title=Are You Gonna Eat That? Joey Chestnut to Set Record Feb. 21 at the HP Pavilion|accessdate=2009-02-21}}</ref>

On July 4, 2009, Chestnut topped his previous record of 59 hot dogs and buns by consuming 68 hot dogs in the 2009 Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest.

On ''[[Man v. Food]]'', San Jose, California, Chestnut ate Iguana's Burritozilla: a 5 pound, 17 inch burrito in 3 minutes, 10 seconds.

Joey beat the Free 72 ounce steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch by eating the steak, a salad, potato, and three shrimp in under an hour. He set a speed record with 8:52 minutes.

Joey has said upon many occasions that his favorite food is not hot dogs. "I like soy sauce," he says.

On July 4th, 2010, Chestnut secured his fourth straight Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest, by consuming 54 hotdogs in a dominating performance.

==Training==

Chestnut trains by fasting and by stretching his stomach with milk, water, and protein supplements.<ref>Ben Dorries, Late mail, The Courier Mail (Australia), pg. 103, July 6, 2007</ref> Three days before winning a chicken-eating contest in Boston, in November 2005, Chestnut drank gallons of water in under one minute and ate buffalo wings to get his stomach accustomed to them.<ref>Russell Nichols, Boston Globe, pg. B4, November 13, 2005</ref> Since the start of his competitive eating career, his competition weight varies from 210-225 lbs (95.45 to 102.27 kg).

==World records held by Joey Chestnut==

*[[Ribs (food)|Pork Ribs]]: 9.8 pounds pork rib meat in 12 minutes at [[John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort]] during the [[Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off]] in [[Sparks, Nevada]] on August 27, 2008.<ref>http://www.ifoce.com/eaters.php?action=detail&sn=106</ref>
*[[Steak]]: 4.5 pounds of steak, plus sides, in 8 minutes, 52 seconds at [[Big Texan Steak Ranch]] on March 24, 2008.<ref>http://www.bigtexan.com/free72facts.html</ref>
*[[Asparagus]]: 8.6 pounds of tempura-fried asparagus at the World Deep Fried Asparagus Eating Championship in [[Stockton, California]], on April 26, 2008.<ref>{{cite news | title=Video of Asparagus World Record | work=SportsWrap | date=2008-04-28 | url=http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/2008/04/27/joey-chestnut-breaks-deep-fried-asparagus-world-record-videos/ }}</ref>
*Nathan's Famous [[Hot dog|Hot Dogs]] and buns (short form): 68 hot dog and buns in 10 minutes during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in [[Coney Island|Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY]] on July 4, 2009.<ref>{{cite news | title=Joey Chestnut wins on July 4 | work=MyFoxNY.com | date=2009-07-04 }}</ref>
*[[Chicken Wings]]: 241 wings at Wing Bowl XVI in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], on February 1, 2008.<ref>{{cite news | title=Joey Chestnut wins again | work=Philly.com | date=2008-02-01 | url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/wingbowl/20080201_Wing_by_wing.html }}</ref>
*[[Krystal (restaurant)|Krystal burgers]]: 103 burgers at the [[Krystal Square Off]] in [[Chattanooga, TN]] on October 28, 2007.

== References ==
{{reflist|1}}

==External links==
* [http://www.joeyjawschestnut.com Official Joey "Jaws" Chestnut Website]
* [http://www.ifoce.com/rankings.php?action=detail&sn=106 International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) profile]
* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/sioncampus/07/05/nathans.hotdog/index.html Sports Illustrated feature on 2006 contest]
* [http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=26088 The Wave Magazine profile and interview]
* [http://www.foodbanknyc.org/index.cfm?objectid=E8A8E473-FF43-391F-1C91FE6FEF5AAF8E&flushcache=1 Photos from the TripRewards 2007 Ultimate Hotwing Eating Contest]
*[http://eatfeats.com/query.php?_table=eaters&id=3 Eat Feats Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chestnut, Joey}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:American competitive eaters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from San Jose, California]]
[[Category:People from Vallejo, California]]
[[Category:World record holders]]

[[ja:ジョーイ・チェスナット]]

Frank Buckles

2010-07-03T00:55:15Z

Mk5384:

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri]], United States
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = World War I
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living American veteran of World War I and the oldest verified World War I veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], in [[Charles Town, West Virginia]], and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in World War I in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''"I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[RMS Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. While on the Carpathia, Buckles spoke with crewmembers who had taken part in the rescue of ''Titanic'' survivors. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On 4 February 2008, with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with President [[George W. Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the World War I Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor World War I vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |work=[[The Kansas City Star]] |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. The keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-07-03T00:54:55Z

Mk5384: changed "near" to "in"

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri]], United States
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = World War I
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living American veteran of World War I and the oldest verified World War I veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], in [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in World War I in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''"I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[RMS Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. While on the Carpathia, Buckles spoke with crewmembers who had taken part in the rescue of ''Titanic'' survivors. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On 4 February 2008, with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with President [[George W. Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the World War I Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor World War I vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |work=[[The Kansas City Star]] |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. The keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Leroy Barnes

2010-06-26T08:42:32Z

Mk5384:

{{Infobox Criminal
| subject_name = Leroy Barnes
| image_name = LeroyBarnes.png
| image_size = 156px
| image_caption =
| date_of_birth = {{birth date and age|1933|10|15}}
| place_of_birth = [[Harlem]], [[New York]]
| date_of_death =
| place_of_death =
| alias = Nicky
| charge = Drug Dealing
| conviction =
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation =Retired [[Drug Lord]]
| spouse =
| parents =
| children =
}}'''Leroy Antonio "Nicky" Barnes''' (born October 15, 1933) is a former [[drug dealer]] and [[crime boss]], who led the notorious African-American crime organization known as ''[[The Council (drug syndicate)|The Council]]'', which controlled the heroin trade in [[Harlem]], [[New York]] during the 1970's.<ref name = [[The New York Times]]>{{cite web |year=2007 |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/nyregion/04nicky.html |accessdate = 2010-05-02 | last= Sam Roberts |title = Crime’s ‘Mr. Untouchable’ Emerges From Shadows |quote=}} </ref> In 2007 he released a book, “Mr. Untouchable,” written with Tom Folsom and documentary DVD of the same name about his life.<ref name="Book">{{cite book | last = Leroy "Nicky" Barnes, [[Tom Folsom]]| authorlink = | title = Mr. Untouchable: My Crimes and Punishments|edition= March 6, 2007 | publisher = Rugged Land| isbn= 159071041X|page= 352}}</ref><ref name="Documentary">{{imdb title|id=1086340|title=Mr. Untouchable (2007)}}</ref> In the 2007 film ''[[American Gangster (film)|American Gangster]]'' Barnes is portrayed by [[Cuba Gooding Jr.]].

==Early career==
[[Image:Leroy Nicky Barnes2.jpg|thumb|200px|Leroy "Nicky" Barnes mugshot after he was stopped for a traffic violation and was not carrying identification. The two arresting officers were not aware who they caught until they brought him to the police station.]]
Leroy Barnes was sent to prison in 1965 for low level drug dealing. While in prison he met [[Colombo crime family]] member [[Joe Gallo|"Crazy" Joe Gallo]]<ref name="dea1975-1980">{{cite web |year=2007 |url = http://www.dea.gov/pubs/history/1975-1980.html|title = DEA History 1975 - 1980}}</ref> and [[Lucchese crime family]] heroin dealer [[Matthew Madonna]].<ref name="Documentary"/> Gallo wanted to have more of a stake in the Harlem Heroin market but didn't have any personnel to deal in the mostly black Harlem. It is believed Gallo passed on his knowledge of how to run a drug trafficking organization to Barnes and asked Barnes to assemble the necessary personnel.<ref name="dea1975-1980"/> When Gallo got out of jail he provided a lawyer for Barnes. The lawyer got Barnes' conviction overturned on a technicality and he returned to New York City.<ref name="panachereport">{{cite web |year=2007 |url = http://panachereport.com/channels/hip%20hop%20gallery/HipHopShortStories/originalgangstas.htm|title = ORIGINAL GANGSTAS|format = HTML |publisher = ORIGINAL GANGSTAS| accessdate = 2008-03-13 | last= |quote=}}</ref> Once home, Barnes began to assemble his personnel and began cutting and packaging low-quality heroin. To deal more efficiently Barnes and other black gangsters created ''[[The Council (drug syndicate)|The Council]]'', a seven man organization modeled after the Italian mob families. The Council settled disputes, handled distribution problems and other drug related issues.<ref name="panachereport"/>

===The Council===
The Council included seven people: Leroy Barnes, [[Joseph "Jazz" Hayden]], [[Wallace Rice (gangster)|Wallace Rice]], [[Thomas "Gaps" Foreman]], [[Ishmael Muhammed]], [[Frank James (gangster)|Frank James]], and [[Guy Fisher]].

==Rise to drug lord==

By 1976 Barnes' operation spread throughout all of [[New York]] State and into [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Canada]]. According to [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]] records, Barnes' operation in 1976 consisted of seven lieutenants, who each controlled a dozen mid level distributors, who supplied upwards of forty street level dealers each. During this time Barnes was given the name ''Mr. Untouchable'', after successfully beating numerous charges and arrests. It is believed while under surveillance Barnes would often make pointless stops and go on high speed chases with little purpose other than to aggravate those following him.<ref name="dea1975-1980"/>

At the height of his dealing, Barnes' net worth was estimated at several million dollars. Barnes set up front companies to protect some of his assets, such as numerous cars, which appeared to be rented through those companies. The [[DEA]] eventually discovered the true ownership of the companies and seized the cars, including a [[Mercedes-Benz]], a [[Citroën SM]], a [[Maserati]], several [[Ford Thunderbird|Thunderbirds]], [[Lincoln Continental]]s, and [[Cadillac]]s. A New York Times article estimated Barnes had purchased approximately 300 suits, 100 pairs of shoes, and 50 leather coats.<ref name="dea1975-1980"/>

==Mr Untouchable and arrest==

On June 5, 1977 ''The New York Times'' magazine released an article titled ''Mr Untouchable'' with Barnes posing on the front cover. The Times told Barnes that they were going to use a mug shot of Barnes unless Barnes came and posed for the cameras. Barnes, who hated mugshots, agreed and took the infamous shot. <ref name="Documentary"/>

Mr. Barnes’s posture of smug invulnerability so affronted President [[Jimmy Carter]] that he ordered [[Griffin Bell|his attorney general]] to prosecute Mr. Barnes to the fullest extent of the law.<ref name="nytimes_2007">{{cite web |date=March 4, 2007|url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/nyregion/04nicky.html|title = Crime’s ‘Mr. Untouchable’ Emerges From Shadows|format = HTML |publisher = [[The New York Times]]| accessdate = 2008-03-12 | last= SAM ROBERTS|quote=}}</ref> The Justice Department did just that. He was prosecuted for drug-related crimes and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on January 19, 1978. The chief prosecutor in that case was Robert Fiske, then the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was assisted by two younger Assistant United States Attorneys, Tom Sear and Bob Mazur.

==Prison==

According to Barnes, while in prison, he discovered that his assets were not being taken care of, The Council stopped paying his attorneys' fees, and one of his fellow council members, [[Guy Fisher]], was having an affair with his mistress/girlfriend.<ref name="time18940130">"Telling Tales;Mad, mad Leroy Barnes," TIME Magazine, January 30, 1984, p.16</ref>The Council had a rule that no council member would sleep with another council member's wife/mistress. In response, Barnes became an informant. He forwarded a list of 109 names, five of which were council members, along with his wife's name, implicating them all in illegal activities related to the heroin trade. Barnes helped to indict 44 other traffickers, 16 of whom were ultimately convicted.<ref name="time18940130"/> In this testimony, he implicated himself in eight murders. While in prison, he won a national poetry contest for federal inmates, earned a college diploma with honors and taught fellow inmates English.<ref name="nytimes_2007"/>

==Release and life after prison==
[[Image:NICKYBARNES.jpg|left|125px|thumb|The cover to Nicky Barnes' autobiography ''Mr. Untouchable'']]

After Barnes cooperated with the government by working as an informant, [[Rudolph Giuliani]] sought a reversal of Barnes' life sentence. Eventually, he was resentenced to 35 years and housed in a special Witness Security Unit at the federal prison in Otisville, N.Y. By working in jail Barnes earned two months off and was released in August 1998. Work was something Barnes seemed to thrive on during the more than 15 years he spent at Otisville.

{{Cquote2|He worked all the time ... He worked in the kitchen, in the dining area, separating the recycle stuff from the regular garbage. You name it he did it. He seemed obsessed.|Prison official }}

In 2007 Barnes and his former competitor, [[Frank Lucas (drug lord)|Frank Lucas]], sat down with ''New York'' magazine's [[Mark Jacobson]] for a historic conversation between men who have not spoken to each other in 30 years.<ref name="nym2007">[http://nymag.com/guides/money/2007/39948/ "Lords of Dopetown".] ''[[New York Magazine]]'', 5 November 2007.</ref> Now in his 70s, Barnes is part of the [[United States Federal Witness Protection Program|Witness Protection Program]].

Barnes wrote ''Mr. Untouchable'', a book about his life, in 2007 and appears in a documentary about his gang life entitled ''[[Mr. Untouchable]]''.<ref name="Book"/><ref name="Documentary"/>

On January 31, 2008, Barnes was interviewed by [[Howard Stern]] on Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio show.

==See also==
*[[Frank Lucas (drug lord)|Frank Lucas]]
*[[Guy Fisher]]
*[[Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson]]
*[[Frank Matthews (drug trafficker)]]

==References==


{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{imdb title|id=1086340|title=Mr. Untouchable (2007)}}
* [http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-american-gangster-nicky-barnes// "''American Gangster:'' Nicky Barnes, 'Mister Untouchable'"] by Alan Kurtz ([[Blogcritics]])

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Leroy}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African American mobsters]]
[[Category:Lucchese crime family Associates]]
[[Category:People from New York City]]
[[Category:American mob bosses]]
[[Category:American drug traffickers]]
[[Category:Mob bosses]]
[[Category:People who entered the United States Federal Witness Protection Program]]

[[nl:Leroy Barnes]]

Cherry Drummond, 16. Baroness Strange

2010-06-20T01:44:42Z

Mk5384: /* Politics and public life */

'''Jean Cherry Drummond of Megginch, 16th Baroness Strange''' (17 December 1928 – [[Megginch Castle]], 11 March 2005) was a [[cross bench]] [[hereditary peer]] in the [[House of Lords]]. She also wrote romantic novels and historical works.

==Personal life==
Strange was educated at Oxenfoord Castle boarding school near [[Edinburgh]], and read English and history at [[St Andrews University]]. She married [[Humphrey Evans]], [[Military Cross|MC]], a [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in the [[Mountain Artillery]], in 1952. They both assumed the surname '''Drummond of Megginch''' when they moved to Megginch Castle. The couple had three sons and three daughters:
* Adam Humphrey, now the 17th Baron Strange (b. 1953)
* Charlotte Cherry (b. 1955)
* Humphrey John Jardine (b. 1961)
* Amelie Margaret Mary (b. 1963)
* John Humphrey Hugo (b. 1966)
* Catherine Star Violetta (b. 1967)

In April 2006 it emerged that Lady Strange had changed her [[will (law)|will]] on her deathbed, leaving her entire [[estate (law)|estate]] to her youngest daughter Catherine, cutting out her other five children.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article707213.ece|title=Strange case of the baroness who rewrote £3m will on her deathbed|date=April 20, 2006|publisher=The Times|accessdate=2008-09-05 | location=London | first1=Alan | last1=Hamilton | first2=Shirley | last2=English}}</ref>

==Title==
Although the family home is the 17th century [[Megginch Castle]] in [[Perthshire]], [[Scotland]], the family title, [[Baron Strange]], is in the English peerage. Her father, [[John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange]], had spent many years attempting to terminate an [[abeyance]] that arose on the death of [[James Stewart-Murray, 9th Duke of Atholl|the Duke of Atholl]] in 1957; he was confirmed in the title in 1965. The title went into abeyance once again on his death in 1982, but it was terminated in Cherry's favour in 1986, and she made her maiden speech on 4 March 1987. Upon the Baroness's death the title was inherited by her eldest son, [[Adam Drummond, 17th Baron Strange|Adam]].

==Politics and public life==
She held traditional [[Conservatism|conservative]] views, but resigned the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] [[whip (politics)|whip]] in December 1998 when [[William Hague]] dismissed [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Cranborne]] for negotiating with Tony Blair on reform of the House of Lords. Following reforms which reduced the number of hereditary peers who were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, her 1999 [[manifesto]] to be elected to occupy one of the remaining seats (limited to 75 words) was "I bring flowers every week to this House from my castle in Perthshire." She was elected to fill a cross bench seat.

She was President of the [[War Widows Association of Great Britain]] from 1990.

==Writing==
Strange wrote several [[romantic novel]]s under the [[pseudonym]] "Cherry Evans", including ''Love From Belinda'' (1960) and ''Love Is For Ever'' (1988). As Cherry Drummond, she also wrote ''The Remarkable Life of Victoria Drummond - Marine Engineer'', a [[biography]] of an intrepid aunt, [[Victoria Drummond]], a [[Godparent|goddaughter]] of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] who was an engineer with the [[Blue Funnel Line]] for 40 years from 1922.

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1534557,00.html Obituary from] ''[[The Times]]''
*[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/politicsobituaries/story/0,1441,1449741,00.html Obituary from] ''[[The Guardian]]''
*[http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2005/03/15/newsstory6911715t0.asp Obituary from] ''[[The Courier]]''

{{start box}}
{{s-reg|en}}
{{succession box|title=[[Baron Strange|Baroness Strange]]|before=[[John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange|John Drummond]]|after=[[Adam Drummond, 17th Baron Strange|Adam Drummond]]|years=1986–2005}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drummond, Cherry 16th Baroness Strange}}
[[Category:1928 births|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:2005 deaths|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Barons in the Peerage of England|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Conservative Party politicians (UK)|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:British biographers|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:British novelists|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Hereditary suo jure peeresses|Strange, Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness]]

Cherry Drummond, 16. Baroness Strange

2010-06-20T01:43:27Z

Mk5384: /* Personal life */

'''Jean Cherry Drummond of Megginch, 16th Baroness Strange''' (17 December 1928 – [[Megginch Castle]], 11 March 2005) was a [[cross bench]] [[hereditary peer]] in the [[House of Lords]]. She also wrote romantic novels and historical works.

==Personal life==
Strange was educated at Oxenfoord Castle boarding school near [[Edinburgh]], and read English and history at [[St Andrews University]]. She married [[Humphrey Evans]], [[Military Cross|MC]], a [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in the [[Mountain Artillery]], in 1952. They both assumed the surname '''Drummond of Megginch''' when they moved to Megginch Castle. The couple had three sons and three daughters:
* Adam Humphrey, now the 17th Baron Strange (b. 1953)
* Charlotte Cherry (b. 1955)
* Humphrey John Jardine (b. 1961)
* Amelie Margaret Mary (b. 1963)
* John Humphrey Hugo (b. 1966)
* Catherine Star Violetta (b. 1967)

In April 2006 it emerged that Lady Strange had changed her [[will (law)|will]] on her deathbed, leaving her entire [[estate (law)|estate]] to her youngest daughter Catherine, cutting out her other five children.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article707213.ece|title=Strange case of the baroness who rewrote £3m will on her deathbed|date=April 20, 2006|publisher=The Times|accessdate=2008-09-05 | location=London | first1=Alan | last1=Hamilton | first2=Shirley | last2=English}}</ref>

==Title==
Although the family home is the 17th century [[Megginch Castle]] in [[Perthshire]], [[Scotland]], the family title, [[Baron Strange]], is in the English peerage. Her father, [[John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange]], had spent many years attempting to terminate an [[abeyance]] that arose on the death of [[James Stewart-Murray, 9th Duke of Atholl|the Duke of Atholl]] in 1957; he was confirmed in the title in 1965. The title went into abeyance once again on his death in 1982, but it was terminated in Cherry's favour in 1986, and she made her maiden speech on 4 March 1987. Upon the Baroness's death the title was inherited by her eldest son, [[Adam Drummond, 17th Baron Strange|Adam]].

==Politics and public life==
She held traditional [[Conservatism|Conservative]] views, but resigned the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] [[whip (politics)|whip]] in December 1998 when [[William Hague]] dismissed [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Cranborne]] for negotiating with Tony Blair on reform of the House of Lords. Following reforms which reduced the number of hereditary peers who were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, her 1999 [[manifesto]] to be elected to occupy one of the remaining seats (limited to 75 words) was "I bring flowers every week to this House from my castle in Perthshire." She was elected to fill a cross bench seat.

She was President of the [[War Widows Association of Great Britain]] from 1990.

==Writing==
Strange wrote several [[romantic novel]]s under the [[pseudonym]] "Cherry Evans", including ''Love From Belinda'' (1960) and ''Love Is For Ever'' (1988). As Cherry Drummond, she also wrote ''The Remarkable Life of Victoria Drummond - Marine Engineer'', a [[biography]] of an intrepid aunt, [[Victoria Drummond]], a [[Godparent|goddaughter]] of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] who was an engineer with the [[Blue Funnel Line]] for 40 years from 1922.

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1534557,00.html Obituary from] ''[[The Times]]''
*[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/politicsobituaries/story/0,1441,1449741,00.html Obituary from] ''[[The Guardian]]''
*[http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2005/03/15/newsstory6911715t0.asp Obituary from] ''[[The Courier]]''

{{start box}}
{{s-reg|en}}
{{succession box|title=[[Baron Strange|Baroness Strange]]|before=[[John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange|John Drummond]]|after=[[Adam Drummond, 17th Baron Strange|Adam Drummond]]|years=1986–2005}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drummond, Cherry 16th Baroness Strange}}
[[Category:1928 births|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:2005 deaths|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Barons in the Peerage of England|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Conservative Party politicians (UK)|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:British biographers|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:British novelists|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews|Strange, Jean Drummond, 16th Baroness]]
[[Category:Hereditary suo jure peeresses|Strange, Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness]]

Benutzer:Krächz/Meddle

2010-05-28T04:59:43Z

Mk5384: "demonstrates the band's change in genre from psychadelic to progressive rock" is original research

{{about|the Pink Floyd album|the song by Little Boots|Meddle (song)}}
{{See Wiktionary}}
{{Infobox album
| Name = Meddle
| Type = studio
| Artist = [[Pink Floyd]]
| Cover = MeddleCover.jpeg
| Released = 30 October 1971 (US)
| Recorded = January–August 1971, [[Air Studios]], [[EMI Studios]], and [[Morgan Studios]], [[London]]<ref name="Poveyp148"/>
| Genre = [[Progressive rock]] 
| Length = 46:46
| Language = [[English language|English]]
| Label = [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]/[[EMI Records|EMI]]
| Producer = [[Pink Floyd]]
| Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:n6jueay04x07|title=Meddle: Overview|work=Allmusic|accessdate=September 6, 2009|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas}}</ref>
*[[BBC]] (favourable)<ref>{{Citation | last = Easlea | first = Daryl | date = 2007-04-17 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/wnbd/ | title = Pink Floyd Meddle Review | publisher = bbc.co.uk | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' (favourable)<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.superseventies.com/pinkfloyd1.html|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=2009-09-06|year=1972}}</ref>
*''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Citation | last = Twist | first = Carlo | title = Meddle - Blender | url = http://blender.com/52757/meddle.html | publisher = blender.com | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*[[Robert Christgau]] (B-)<ref>{{Citation | last = Christgau | first = Robert | title = Pink Floyd: Meddle | url = http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=5683 | publisher = robertchristgau.com | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Citation |year=1995 |month=October|journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |pages=137 |accessdate=2009-04-15 |quote=3 Stars - Good - "...The four were at their most collectively prolific at this time..."}}</ref>
*''[[Record Collector]]'' {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Citation|last = Coare | first = Sam | url=http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/353|title=Record Collector: Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd: Meddle: A classic album under review|work=[[Record Collector]]|accessdate=2009-09-06}}</ref>
| Last album = ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'' (1970)
| This album = '''''Meddle''''' (1971)
| Next album = ''[[Obscured by Clouds]]'' (1972)
| Misc = {{Singles
| Name = Meddle
| Type = studio
| Single 1 = [[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]" / "[[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
| Single 1 date = 29 November 1971
}}
}}
'''''Meddle''''' is the sixth [[studio album]] by English [[progressive rock]] group [[Pink Floyd]]. It was released in October 1971.

The album was recorded at a series of locations around [[London]], including [[Abbey Road Studios]]. With no material to work with and no clear idea of the album's direction, the band devised a series of novel experiments which eventually inspired the album's signature track, "[[Echoes (song)|Echoes]]". Although many of the group's later albums would be unified by a central theme with lyrics written mainly by [[Roger Waters]], ''Meddle'' was a group effort with lyrical contributions from each member.

''Meddle'' was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971. Reviews were mixed, and although it was commercially successful in the United Kingdom, lacklustre publicity on the part of their US label led to poor sales in the United States.

==Recording==
Returning from a series of tours of ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'' across America and England, at the start of 1971 the band started work on new material at Abbey Road.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=152–153}}</ref> The album was the first the band had worked on in the studio since 1968's ''[[A Saucerful of Secrets]]'', but Abbey Road was equipped only with 8-track [[multitrack recording]] facilities, which Pink Floyd found insufficient for the increasing technical demands of their project. They transferred their best efforts, including the opening of "Echoes", to 16-track tape at smaller studios in [[London]] (namely [[AIR Studios|AIR]], and [[Morgan Studios|Morgan]] in West Hampstead) and resumed work with the advantage of more flexible recording equipment. Engineers [[John Leckie]] and Peter Bown recorded the main Abbey Road and AIR sessions, while for minor work at Morgan studios in [[West Hampstead]] Rob Black and Roger Quested handled the engineering duties.<ref name="Masonp157">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=157}}</ref>

Lacking a central theme for the project, the band used several experiments in a divergent attempt to spur the creative process. One exercise involved each member playing on a separate track, with no reference to what the other members were doing. The tempo was entirely random while the band played around an agreed chord structure, and moods such as 'first two minutes romantic, next two up tempo'. Each recorded section was named, but the process was largely unproductive; after several weeks no complete songs had been created.<ref name="Masonp153">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=153}}</ref>

John Leckie had worked on albums such as ''[[All Things Must Pass]]'' and [[Ringo Starr]]'s ''[[Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album)|Sentimental Journey]]'', and was employed as a tape-operator on ''Meddle'', partly due to his proclivity for working into the early hours of the morning. Pink Floyd's sessions would often begin in the afternoon, and end early the next morning, "...during which time nothing would get done. There was no record company contact whatsoever, except when their label manager would show up now and again with a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints."<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=62}}</ref> The band would apparently spend long periods of time working on simple sounds, or a particular guitar riff. They also spent several days at Air Studios, attempting to create music using a variety of household objects, a project which would be revisited between ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' and ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=63–64}}</ref>

Following these early experiments—called "Nothings"—the band developed "Son Of Nothings", which was followed by "Return Of The Son Of Nothings"—the working title of the new album. One of these early works involved the use of Richard Wright's piano. Wright had fed a single note through a [[Leslie speaker]], producing a submarine-like [[Sonar#Active sonar|ping]]. The band tried repeatedly to recreate this sound in the studio but were unsuccessful, and so the demo version was used on what would later become "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]",<ref name="Masonp153"/> mixed almost exclusively at Air Studios.<ref name="Mabbett 1995 p=42">{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=42}}</ref> Combined with David Gilmour's guitar, the band were able to develop the track further, experimenting with accidental sound effects (such as Gilmour's guitar being plugged into a wah-wah pedal back to front). Unlike ''Atom Heart Mother'' the new multi-track capabilities of the studio enabled them to create the track in stages, rather than performing it in a single take. The final twenty-three minute piece would eventually take up the entire second side of the album.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=153–154}}</ref>

"[[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]" was developed around an [[ostinato]] [[bassline]] created by [[Roger Waters]], by feeding the output through a [[Binson]] Echorec. The bass line was performed by Waters and David Gilmour using two bass guitars, one on old strings. Nick Mason's abstruse "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" line was recorded at double speed using a falsetto voice, and replayed at normal speed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=155}}</ref>

''Meddle'' was recorded between the band's various concert commitments, and therefore its production was spread over a considerable period of time.<ref name="Masonp157"/> The band recorded in the first half of April, but in the latter half played at Doncaster and Norwich before returning to record at the end of the month. In May they split their time between sessions at Abbey Road, and rehearsals and concerts in London, Lancaster, Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Nottingham. June and July were spent mainly performing at venues across Europe.<ref name="Masonp157"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=142–144}}</ref> August was spent in the far east and Australia, September in Europe, and October to November in the US.<ref name="Masonp157"/> In the same period the band also produced ''[[Relics]]'', a compilation album of some of Pink Floyd's earlier works.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=158}}</ref> A [[quadraphonic]] mix of the album was prepared at Command Studios on 21 and 26 September, but remains unreleased.<ref name="Poveyp148">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=148}}</ref><ref name="Sniderp103"/>

==Composition==
{{listen | filename = Pink floyd meddle echoes.ogg | title = "Echoes" | description = "Echoes" may best demonstrate the band's change in style from psychedelic to progressive rock | format = [[Ogg]]}}
Though the tracks possess a variety of moods, ''Meddle'' is generally considered more cohesive than its 1970 predecessor ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]''.<ref name="Schaffnerp160">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=160}}</ref> The largely instrumental "[[One of These Days (Pink Floyd song)|One of These Days]]" is followed by "[[A Pillow of Winds]]", which is distinguished by being one of the few [[Dynamics (music)|quiet]], [[Steel-string guitar|acoustic]] love songs in the Pink Floyd catalogue. These two songs segue into each other across windy [[sound effects]], anticipating the technique that would later be used on ''Wish You Were Here''. The title of "A Pillow of Winds" was inspired by the games of [[Mah-Jong]] that Waters and Mason, and their wives, played while in the south of France.<ref name="Masonp156">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=156}}</ref>

The song "[[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]" (the title is the football equivalent of 'formidable') employs [[field recordings]] of the [[Liverpool F.C.]] [[Spion Kop (stadia)|Kop]] choir singing "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]", their anthem, which brings the song to an end in a heavily [[Reverberation|reverberated]] [[fade-out]]. "[[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]", by contrast, is a [[jazz]]-inflected [[Pop music|pop song]] with a [[shuffle note|shuffle tempo]], composed by Waters in his increasingly-deployed style of breezy, off-the-cuff song-writing. The song was inspired by the band's trip to the south of France in 1970. Pink Floyd give a rare glimpse into their sense of humour with "[[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]", a pseudo-[[Blues music|blues]] novelty track featuring [[Steve Marriott]]'s dog (which Gilmour was looking after) howling along to the music.<ref name="Masonp156"/>{{#tag:ref|"Seamus" was remade as "Mademoiselle Nobs", featuring a different dog and no lyrics, in the film ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii]]''.<ref name="Masonp156"/>|group="nb"}} "Seamus" often tops polls as the worst song Pink Floyd ever created, but the band would later use animal sounds again, in ''[[Animals (album)|Animals]]''.<ref name="Schaffnerp155"/>

The final song on the album is the twenty-three minute "Echoes". First performed as "Return of the Son of Nothing" on 22 April 1971 in Norwich,<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=64}}</ref> the band spent about six months on the track in three studios (Morgan, Air, and Abbey Road).<ref name="Sniderp103">{{Harvnb|Snider|2008|p=103}}</ref> The track opens with Richard Wright's 'ping'. "Echoes" was recorded almost entirely at Air Studios,<ref name="Mabbett 1995 p=42"/> and completed in July 1971.<ref name="Sniderp103"/> "Echoes" also gave its name to the compilation album ''[[Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd]]'', on which a much-edited version of the title track was included. In the compilation, multiple edits throughout the entire song cut the running length of the piece down by some seven minutes. Some of the material composed during the production of ''Meddle'' was not used, however one song would eventually become "[[Brain Damage (song)|Brain Damage]]", on ''The Dark Side of the Moon''.<ref name="Schaffnerp160"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=155}}</ref>

==Packaging==
The album's title ''Meddle'' is a play on words; a [[medal]], and to interfere.<ref name="Schaffnerp155">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=155}}</ref> [[Storm Thorgerson]] originally suggested a close-up shot of a [[baboon]]'s anus for the [[album cover]] photograph. He was over-ruled by the band, who informed him via an inter-continental telephone call while on tour in [[Japan]] that they would rather have "an ear underwater".<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=160}}</ref> The cover image was photographed by Bob Dowling. The image represents an ear, underwater, collecting waves of sound (represented by ripples in the water).<ref name="Schaffnerp155"/> Thorgerson has expressed dissatisfaction with the cover, claiming it to be his least favourite Pink Floyd album sleeve: "I think ''Meddle'' is a much better album than its cover".<ref name="Blakep166">{{Harvnb|Blake|2007|p=166}}</ref> [[Aubrey Powell (designer)|Aubrey Powell]] (Thorgerson's colleague) shares his sentiments—"''Meddle'' was a mess. I hated that cover. I don't think we did them justice with that at all; it's half-hearted."<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=142–143}}</ref> The gatefold contains a group photograph of the band (Floyd's last until 1987's ''[[A Momentary Lapse of Reason]]'').<ref name="Blakep166"/>

==Release==
''Meddle'' was released on 30 October 1971 in the US, and 13 November in the UK.{{#tag:ref|Povey (2007) suggests that the UK release date was 5 November,<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=150}}</ref> but Mabbett (1995) and Pink Floyd's official website both state 13 November. All sources agree on the US release date.<ref name="Mabbettp39">{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=39}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Pink Floyd - Echoes (click Echoes image link) | url = http://www.pinkfloyd.co.uk/ | publisher = pinkfloyd.co.uk | accessdate = 2009-08-22}}</ref>|group="nb"}} Reviews of the album were mixed. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'s'' Jean-Charles Costa wrote "''Meddle'' not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence as a real shaping force with the group, it states forcefully and accurately that the group is well into the growth track again",<ref>{{Citation | last = Costa | first = Jean-Charles | title = Pink Floyd: Meddle | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/235970/review/6067420/meddle | publisher = rollingstone.com | date = 1972-01-06 | accessdate = 2009-08-19}}</ref> and ''[[NME]]'' called it "an exceptionally good album". ''[[Melody Maker]]'' were however more reserved, claiming the album was "...a soundtrack to a non-existent movie".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=155–156}}</ref> "One of These Days" and "Echoes" were performed during ''Live At Pompeii'', in two parts, and also on the BBC's 1971 ''In Concert''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=43}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=67}}</ref> Although in the UK it reached number three, lacklustre publicity on the part of Capitol Records led to weak sales in the US, and a chart position of number 70.<ref name="Mabbettp39"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=158–161}}</ref> On 29 November 1971, "One of These Days" was released as a [[7-inch single]] in the U.S., with "Fearless" on the B-side.<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=344}}</ref>

''Meddle'' was later certified [[RIAA certification|gold]] by the [[RIAA]] on 29 October 1973 and then double platinum on 11 March 1994, following the added attention garnered by the band's later successes in the United States.<ref>{{Citation | title = US Certifications Database | url = http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH | publisher = riaa.com | accessdate = 2009-08-22}}</ref>

===Reissues===
''Meddle'' was later released as a remastered [[LP album|LP]] by [[Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab]],<ref>{{Citation | title = MFSL Out of Print Archive - Original Master Recording LP | url = http://www.mofi.com/productcart/pc/oop_archive/omrlp.htm | publisher = mofi.com | accessdate = 2009-08-03}}</ref> and in April 1989 on their "Ultradisc" gold CD format.<ref>{{Citation | title = MFSL Out of Print Archive - Ultradisc II Gold CD | url = http://www.mofi.com/productcart/pc/oop_archive/goldcd.htm | publisher = mofi.com | accessdate = 2009-08-03}}</ref> The album was included as part of the box set ''[[Shine On (Pink Floyd)|Shine On]]'' on 2 November 1992.{{#tag:ref|UK - EMI PFBOX 1, US - Columbia CXK 53180 S1<ref name="PoveyNA">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=N/A}}</ref>||group="nb"}}<ref>{{Citation | last = Eder | first = Bruce | title = Shine On - Review | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kcfexq85ldse~T1 | publisher = allmusic.com | accessdate = 2009-08-15}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{tracklist
| headline = Side one
| music_credits = yes
| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = [[One of These Days (Pink Floyd song)|One of These Days]]
| music1 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra1 = [[Instrumental]]{{#tag:ref|The song is entirely instrumental, except for a spoken line by [[Nick Mason]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:3zfrxz90ldae|title=One of These Days|last=Ruhlmann|first=William|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=19 February 2010}}</ref>||group="nb"}}
| length1 = 5:57

| title2 = [[A Pillow of Winds]]
| music2 = Waters, Gilmour
| extra2 = Gilmour
| length2 = 5:10

| title3 = [[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
| note3 = including "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]"
| music3 = Waters, Gilmour (including [[Rodgers and Hammerstein|Rodgers, Hammerstein II]])
| extra3 = Gilmour
| length3 = 6:08

| title4 = [[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]
| music4 = Waters
| extra4 = Waters
| length4 = 3:43

| title5 = [[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]
| music5 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra5 = Gilmour
| length5 = 2:16}}

{{tracklist
| headline = Side two
| music_credits = yes
| extra_column = Lead vocals
| title1 = [[Echoes (song)|Echoes]]
| music1 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra1 = Gilmour and Wright
| length1 = 23:29}}

==Sales chart performance==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Chart
!Position
|-
|1971
|[[UK Albums Chart]]
|3<ref name="Sniderp103"/><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=696 |title=Chart Stats - Pink Floyd |publisher=www.chartstats.com|accessdate=2009-07-02}}</ref>
|-
|1971
|''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Pop Albums
|70<ref>{{Citation | title = Pink Floyd - Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=PINK | publisher = allmusic.com | accessdate = 2009-08-19 | unused_data = |FLOYD&sql=11:wbfyxqt5ldse~T50}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Personnel==

;Pink Floyd
*[[David Gilmour]] – [[guitar]], [[Bass guitar|bass]] on "One of These Days", [[Lead vocalist|lead]] [[Singing|vocals]], [[harmonica]] on "Seamus"
*[[Roger Waters]] – bass, lead vocals and guitar on "San Tropez"
*[[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] – [[Hammond organ|hammond]] [[Organ (music)|organ]], [[piano]], vocals on "Echoes"
*[[Nick Mason]] – [[Drum kit|drums]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]], [[phrase|vocal phrase]] on "One of These Days"

;Additional personnel
*Rob Black – [[Audio engineering|engineering]] (Morgan Studio)
*[[Peter Bown]] – engineering (Air and EMI Studios)
*Peter Curzon – design on album remaster
*Bob Dowling – outer sleeve photos
*[[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]] – [[Audio mastering|remastering]]
*[[Hipgnosis]] – band photo
*[[John Leckie]] – engineering (Air and EMI Studios)
*Tony May – inner sleeve photos
*[[Pink Floyd]] – album cover design
*[[Roger Quested]] – engineering (Morgan Studio)
*Doug Sax – remastering
*Seamus the Dog – [[dog communication#Vocalizations|vocals]] on "Seamus"
*[[Storm Thorgerson]] – design on album remaster


==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|group="nb"}}

;Footnotes
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation | last = Blake | first = Mark | title = Comfortably Numb - The Inside Story of Pink Floyd | publisher = Thunder's Mouth Press | year = 2007 | isbn = 1568583834}}
*{{Citation | last = Harris | first = John | title = The Dark Side of the Moon | publisher = Harper Perennial | edition = Third | year = 2006 | isbn = 9780007790906}}
*{{Citation | last = Mabbett | first = Andy | title = The complete guide to the music of Pink Floyd | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7Bc1YbCd7eAC | edition = Illustrated | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 1995 | isbn = 071194301X}}
*{{Citation | last = Mason | first = Nick | title = Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd | publisher = Phoenix | edition = Paperback | editor = Philip Dodd | year = 2005 | isbn = 0753819066}}
*{{Citation | last = Povey | first = Glenn | title = Echoes | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C | publisher = Mind Head Publishing | year = 2007 | isbn = 0955462401 }}
*{{Citation | last = Schaffner | first = Nicholas | title = Saucerful of Secrets | publisher = London : Sidgwick & Jackson | year = 1991 | edition = First | isbn = 0283061278 }}
*{{Citation | last = Snider | first = Charles | title = The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9nkarh6kA8oC | publisher = Lulu.com | year = 2008 | isbn = 061517566X}}
{{refend}}

;Further reading
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation| last = Reising | first = Russell | title = Speak to Me | url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=x_0oXORl4dIC|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd|year=2005|isbn=0754640191}}
{{refend}}

{{Pink Floyd}}

[[Category:1971 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by David Gilmour]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Nick Mason]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Richard Wright]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Roger Waters]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Storm Thorgerson]]
[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]
[[Category:EMI Records albums]]
[[Category:English-language albums]]
[[Category:Harvest Records albums]]
[[Category:Pink Floyd albums]]
[[Category:Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab albums]]

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Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T19:17:32Z

Mk5384: /* Awards */ style

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. The keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T09:52:49Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */ clarity

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T09:52:04Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */ better sentence structure

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], with the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]], Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T09:51:18Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */ irrevelant

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]] meant that Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T09:48:57Z

Mk5384: /* Personal life */

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for him.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]] (an army veteran who was still in training when the war ended) meant that Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-26T09:48:06Z

Mk5384: /* Biography */ already linked, just above

{{Infobox military person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917."''{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On [[4 February]] [[2008]], the death of 108-year-old [[Harry Richard Landis]] (an army veteran who was still in training when the war ended) meant that Buckles became the last surviving American veteran of the Great War.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

In May 2010, he was at the centre of a campaign to turn a neglected marble temple (in memory of Great War veterans) on the [[National Mall]] into a national memorial.[http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/16/volunteers-gather-at-neglected-wwi-memorial/]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Benutzer:Krächz/Meddle

2010-05-17T00:35:34Z

Mk5384: fixing chronology

{{about|the Pink Floyd album|the song by Little Boots|Meddle (song)}}
{{See Wiktionary}}
{{Infobox album
| Name = Meddle
| Type = studio
| Artist = [[Pink Floyd]]
| Cover = MeddleCover.jpeg
| Released = 30 October 1971 (US)
| Recorded = January–August 1971, [[Air Studios]], [[EMI Studios]], and [[Morgan Studios]], [[London]]<ref name="Poveyp148"/>
| Genre = [[Progressive rock]] 
| Length = 46:46
| Language = [[English language|English]]
| Label = [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]/[[EMI Records|EMI]]
| Producer = [[Pink Floyd]]
| Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:n6jueay04x07|title=Meddle: Overview|work=Allmusic|accessdate=September 6, 2009|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas}}</ref>
*[[BBC]] (favourable)<ref>{{Citation | last = Easlea | first = Daryl | date = 2007-04-17 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/wnbd/ | title = Pink Floyd Meddle Review | publisher = bbc.co.uk | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' (favourable)<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.superseventies.com/pinkfloyd1.html|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=2009-09-06|year=1972}}</ref>
*''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Citation | last = Twist | first = Carlo | title = Meddle - Blender | url = http://blender.com/52757/meddle.html | publisher = blender.com | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*[[Robert Christgau]] (B-)<ref>{{Citation | last = Christgau | first = Robert | title = Pink Floyd: Meddle | url = http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=5683 | publisher = robertchristgau.com | accessdate = 2009-08-20}}</ref>
*''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Citation |year=1995 |month=October|journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |pages=137 |accessdate=2009-04-15 |quote=3 Stars - Good - "...The four were at their most collectively prolific at this time..."}}</ref>
*''[[Record Collector]]'' {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Citation|last = Coare | first = Sam | url=http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/353|title=Record Collector: Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd: Meddle: A classic album under review|work=[[Record Collector]]|accessdate=2009-09-06}}</ref>
| Last album = ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'' (1970)
| This album = '''''Meddle''''' (1971)
| Next album = ''[[Obscured by Clouds]]'' (1972)
| Misc = {{Singles
| Name = Meddle
| Type = studio
| Single 1 = [[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]" / "[[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
| Single 1 date = 29 November 1971
}}
}}
'''''Meddle''''' is the sixth [[studio album]] by English [[progressive rock]] group [[Pink Floyd]]. It was released in October 1971, and demonstrates the band's change in genre from [[psychedelic rock]] to [[progressive rock]].

The album was recorded at a series of locations around [[London]], including [[Abbey Road Studios]]. With no material to work with and no clear idea of the album's direction, the band devised a series of novel experiments which eventually inspired the album's signature track, "[[Echoes (song)|Echoes]]". Although many of the group's later albums would be unified by a central theme with lyrics written mainly by [[Roger Waters]], ''Meddle'' was a group effort with lyrical contributions from each member.

''Meddle'' was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971. Reviews were mixed, and although it was commercially successful in the United Kingdom, lacklustre publicity on the part of their US label led to poor sales in the United States.

==Recording==
Returning from a series of tours of ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]'' across America and England, at the start of 1971 the band started work on new material at Abbey Road.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=152–153}}</ref> The album was the first the band had worked on in the studio since 1968's ''[[A Saucerful of Secrets]]'', but Abbey Road was equipped only with 8-track [[multitrack recording]] facilities, which Pink Floyd found insufficient for the increasing technical demands of their project. They transferred their best efforts, including the opening of "Echoes", to 16-track tape at smaller studios in [[London]] (namely [[AIR Studios|AIR]], and [[Morgan Studios|Morgan]] in West Hampstead) and resumed work with the advantage of more flexible recording equipment. Engineers [[John Leckie]] and Peter Bown recorded the main Abbey Road and AIR sessions, while for minor work at Morgan studios in [[West Hampstead]] Rob Black and Roger Quested handled the engineering duties.<ref name="Masonp157">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=157}}</ref>

Lacking a central theme for the project, the band used several experiments in a divergent attempt to spur the creative process. One exercise involved each member playing on a separate track, with no reference to what the other members were doing. The tempo was entirely random while the band played around an agreed chord structure, and moods such as 'first two minutes romantic, next two up tempo'. Each recorded section was named, but the process was largely unproductive; after several weeks no complete songs had been created.<ref name="Masonp153">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=153}}</ref>

John Leckie had worked on albums such as ''[[All Things Must Pass]]'' and [[Ringo Starr]]'s ''[[Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album)|Sentimental Journey]]'', and was employed as a tape-operator on ''Meddle'', partly due to his proclivity for working into the early hours of the morning. Pink Floyd's sessions would often begin in the afternoon, and end early the next morning, "...during which time nothing would get done. There was no record company contact whatsoever, except when their label manager would show up now and again with a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints."<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=62}}</ref> The band would apparently spend long periods of time working on simple sounds, or a particular guitar riff. They also spent several days at Air Studios, attempting to create music using a variety of household objects, a project which would be revisited between ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'' and ''[[Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album)|Wish You Were Here]]''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=63–64}}</ref>

Following these early experiments—called "Nothings"—the band developed "Son Of Nothings", which was followed by "Return Of The Son Of Nothings"—the working title of the new album. One of these early works involved the use of Richard Wright's piano. Wright had fed a single note through a [[Leslie speaker]], producing a submarine-like [[Sonar#Active sonar|ping]]. The band tried repeatedly to recreate this sound in the studio but were unsuccessful, and so the demo version was used on what would later become "[[Echoes (Pink Floyd song)|Echoes]]",<ref name="Masonp153"/> mixed almost exclusively at Air Studios.<ref name="Mabbett 1995 p=42">{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=42}}</ref> Combined with David Gilmour's guitar, the band were able to develop the track further, experimenting with accidental sound effects (such as Gilmour's guitar being plugged into a wah-wah pedal back to front). Unlike ''Atom Heart Mother'' the new multi-track capabilities of the studio enabled them to create the track in stages, rather than performing it in a single take. The final twenty-three minute piece would eventually take up the entire second side of the album.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=153–154}}</ref>

"[[One of These Days (instrumental)|One of These Days]]" was developed around an [[ostinato]] [[bassline]] created by [[Roger Waters]], by feeding the output through a [[Binson]] Echorec. The bass line was performed by Waters and David Gilmour using two bass guitars, one on old strings. Nick Mason's abstruse "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" line was recorded at double speed using a falsetto voice, and replayed at normal speed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=155}}</ref>

''Meddle'' was recorded between the band's various concert commitments, and therefore its production was spread over a considerable period of time.<ref name="Masonp157"/> The band recorded in the first half of April, but in the latter half played at Doncaster and Norwich before returning to record at the end of the month. In May they split their time between sessions at Abbey Road, and rehearsals and concerts in London, Lancaster, Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Nottingham. June and July were spent mainly performing at venues across Europe.<ref name="Masonp157"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=142–144}}</ref> August was spent in the far east and Australia, September in Europe, and October to November in the US.<ref name="Masonp157"/> In the same period the band also produced ''[[Relics]]'', a compilation album of some of Pink Floyd's earlier works.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=158}}</ref> A [[quadraphonic]] mix of the album was prepared at Command Studios on 21 and 26 September, but remains unreleased.<ref name="Poveyp148">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=148}}</ref><ref name="Sniderp103"/>

==Composition==
{{listen | filename = Pink floyd meddle echoes.ogg | title = "Echoes" | description = "Echoes" may best demonstrate the band's change in style from psychedelic to progressive rock | format = [[Ogg]]}}
Though the tracks possess a variety of moods, ''Meddle'' is generally considered more cohesive than its 1970 predecessor ''[[Atom Heart Mother]]''.<ref name="Schaffnerp160">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=160}}</ref> The largely instrumental "[[One of These Days (Pink Floyd song)|One of These Days]]" is followed by "[[A Pillow of Winds]]", which is distinguished by being one of the few [[Dynamics (music)|quiet]], [[Steel-string guitar|acoustic]] love songs in the Pink Floyd catalogue. These two songs segue into each other across windy [[sound effects]], anticipating the technique that would later be used on ''Wish You Were Here''. The title of "A Pillow of Winds" was inspired by the games of [[Mah-Jong]] that Waters and Mason, and their wives, played while in the south of France.<ref name="Masonp156">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=156}}</ref>

The song "[[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]" (the title is the football equivalent of 'formidable') employs [[field recordings]] of the [[Liverpool F.C.]] [[Spion Kop (stadia)|Kop]] choir singing "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]", their anthem, which brings the song to an end in a heavily [[Reverberation|reverberated]] [[fade-out]]. "[[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]", by contrast, is a [[jazz]]-inflected [[Pop music|pop song]] with a [[shuffle note|shuffle tempo]], composed by Waters in his increasingly-deployed style of breezy, off-the-cuff song-writing. The song was inspired by the band's trip to the south of France in 1970. Pink Floyd give a rare glimpse into their sense of humour with "[[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]", a pseudo-[[Blues music|blues]] novelty track featuring [[Steve Marriott]]'s dog (which Gilmour was looking after) howling along to the music.<ref name="Masonp156"/>{{#tag:ref|"Seamus" was remade as "Mademoiselle Nobs", featuring a different dog and no lyrics, in the film ''[[Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii]]''.<ref name="Masonp156"/>|group="nb"}} "Seamus" often tops polls as the worst song Pink Floyd ever created, but the band would later use animal sounds again, in ''[[Animals (album)|Animals]]''.<ref name="Schaffnerp155"/>

The final song on the album is the twenty-three minute "Echoes". First performed as "Return of the Son of Nothing" on 22 April 1971 in Norwich,<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=64}}</ref> the band spent about six months on the track in three studios (Morgan, Air, and Abbey Road).<ref name="Sniderp103">{{Harvnb|Snider|2008|p=103}}</ref> The track opens with Richard Wright's 'ping'. "Echoes" was recorded almost entirely at Air Studios,<ref name="Mabbett 1995 p=42"/> and completed in July 1971.<ref name="Sniderp103"/> "Echoes" also gave its name to the compilation album ''[[Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd]]'', on which a much-edited version of the title track was included. In the compilation, multiple edits throughout the entire song cut the running length of the piece down by some seven minutes. Some of the material composed during the production of ''Meddle'' was not used, however one song would eventually become "[[Brain Damage (song)|Brain Damage]]", on ''The Dark Side of the Moon''.<ref name="Schaffnerp160"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=155}}</ref>

==Packaging==
The album's title ''Meddle'' is a play on words; a [[medal]], and to interfere.<ref name="Schaffnerp155">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=155}}</ref> [[Storm Thorgerson]] originally suggested a close-up shot of a [[baboon]]'s anus for the [[album cover]] photograph. He was over-ruled by the band, who informed him via an inter-continental telephone call while on tour in [[Japan]] that they would rather have "an ear underwater".<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=160}}</ref> The cover image was photographed by Bob Dowling. The image represents an ear, underwater, collecting waves of sound (represented by ripples in the water).<ref name="Schaffnerp155"/> Thorgerson has expressed dissatisfaction with the cover, claiming it to be his least favourite Pink Floyd album sleeve: "I think ''Meddle'' is a much better album than its cover".<ref name="Blakep166">{{Harvnb|Blake|2007|p=166}}</ref> [[Aubrey Powell (designer)|Aubrey Powell]] (Thorgerson's colleague) shares his sentiments—"''Meddle'' was a mess. I hated that cover. I don't think we did them justice with that at all; it's half-hearted."<ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=142–143}}</ref> The gatefold contains a group photograph of the band (Floyd's last until 1987's ''[[A Momentary Lapse of Reason]]'').<ref name="Blakep166"/>

==Release==
''Meddle'' was released on 30 October 1971 in the US, and 13 November in the UK.{{#tag:ref|Povey (2007) suggests that the UK release date was 5 November,<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=150}}</ref> but Mabbett (1995) and Pink Floyd's official website both state 13 November. All sources agree on the US release date.<ref name="Mabbettp39">{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=39}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Pink Floyd - Echoes (click Echoes image link) | url = http://www.pinkfloyd.co.uk/ | publisher = pinkfloyd.co.uk | accessdate = 2009-08-22}}</ref>|group="nb"}} Reviews of the album were mixed. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'s'' Jean-Charles Costa wrote "''Meddle'' not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence as a real shaping force with the group, it states forcefully and accurately that the group is well into the growth track again",<ref>{{Citation | last = Costa | first = Jean-Charles | title = Pink Floyd: Meddle | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pinkfloyd/albums/album/235970/review/6067420/meddle | publisher = rollingstone.com | date = 1972-01-06 | accessdate = 2009-08-19}}</ref> and ''[[NME]]'' called it "an exceptionally good album". ''[[Melody Maker]]'' were however more reserved, claiming the album was "...a soundtrack to a non-existent movie".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=155–156}}</ref> "One of These Days" and "Echoes" were performed during ''Live At Pompeii'', in two parts, and also on the BBC's 1971 ''In Concert''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=43}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|p=67}}</ref> Although in the UK it reached number three, lacklustre publicity on the part of Capitol Records led to weak sales in the US, and a chart position of number 70.<ref name="Mabbettp39"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Harris|2006|pp=158–161}}</ref> On 29 November 1971, "One of These Days" was released as a [[7-inch single]] in the U.S., with "Fearless" on the B-side.<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=344}}</ref>

''Meddle'' was later certified [[RIAA certification|gold]] by the [[RIAA]] on 29 October 1973 and then double platinum on 11 March 1994, following the added attention garnered by the band's later successes in the United States.<ref>{{Citation | title = US Certifications Database | url = http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH | publisher = riaa.com | accessdate = 2009-08-22}}</ref>

===Reissues===
''Meddle'' was later released as a remastered [[LP album|LP]] by [[Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab]],<ref>{{Citation | title = MFSL Out of Print Archive - Original Master Recording LP | url = http://www.mofi.com/productcart/pc/oop_archive/omrlp.htm | publisher = mofi.com | accessdate = 2009-08-03}}</ref> and in April 1989 on their "Ultradisc" gold CD format.<ref>{{Citation | title = MFSL Out of Print Archive - Ultradisc II Gold CD | url = http://www.mofi.com/productcart/pc/oop_archive/goldcd.htm | publisher = mofi.com | accessdate = 2009-08-03}}</ref> The album was included as part of the box set ''[[Shine On (Pink Floyd)|Shine On]]'' on 2 November 1992.{{#tag:ref|UK - EMI PFBOX 1, US - Columbia CXK 53180 S1<ref name="PoveyNA">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=N/A}}</ref>||group="nb"}}<ref>{{Citation | last = Eder | first = Bruce | title = Shine On - Review | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kcfexq85ldse~T1 | publisher = allmusic.com | accessdate = 2009-08-15}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{tracklist
| headline = Side one
| music_credits = yes
| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = [[One of These Days (Pink Floyd song)|One of These Days]]
| music1 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra1 = [[Instrumental]]{{#tag:ref|The song is entirely instrumental, except for a spoken line by [[Nick Mason]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:3zfrxz90ldae|title=One of These Days|last=Ruhlmann|first=William|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=19 February 2010}}</ref>||group="nb"}}
| length1 = 5:57

| title2 = [[A Pillow of Winds]]
| music2 = Waters, Gilmour
| extra2 = Gilmour
| length2 = 5:10

| title3 = [[Fearless (Pink Floyd song)|Fearless]]
| note3 = including "[[You'll Never Walk Alone (song)|You'll Never Walk Alone]]"
| music3 = Waters, Gilmour (including [[Rodgers and Hammerstein|Rodgers, Hammerstein II]])
| extra3 = Gilmour
| length3 = 6:08

| title4 = [[San Tropez (song)|San Tropez]]
| music4 = Waters
| extra4 = Waters
| length4 = 3:43

| title5 = [[Seamus (song)|Seamus]]
| music5 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra5 = Gilmour
| length5 = 2:16}}

{{tracklist
| headline = Side two
| music_credits = yes
| extra_column = Lead vocals
| title1 = [[Echoes (song)|Echoes]]
| music1 = Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour
| extra1 = Gilmour and Wright
| length1 = 23:29}}

==Sales chart performance==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Chart
!Position
|-
|1971
|[[UK Albums Chart]]
|3<ref name="Sniderp103"/><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=696 |title=Chart Stats - Pink Floyd |publisher=www.chartstats.com|accessdate=2009-07-02}}</ref>
|-
|1971
|''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Pop Albums
|70<ref>{{Citation | title = Pink Floyd - Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=PINK | publisher = allmusic.com | accessdate = 2009-08-19 | unused_data = |FLOYD&sql=11:wbfyxqt5ldse~T50}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Personnel==

;Pink Floyd
*[[David Gilmour]] – [[guitar]], [[Bass guitar|bass]] on "One of These Days", [[Lead vocalist|lead]] [[Singing|vocals]], [[harmonica]] on "Seamus"
*[[Roger Waters]] – bass, lead vocals and guitar on "San Tropez"
*[[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] – [[Hammond organ|hammond]] [[Organ (music)|organ]], [[piano]], vocals on "Echoes"
*[[Nick Mason]] – [[Drum kit|drums]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]], [[phrase|vocal phrase]] on "One of These Days"

;Additional personnel
*Rob Black – [[Audio engineering|engineering]] (Morgan Studio)
*[[Peter Bown]] – engineering (Air and EMI Studios)
*Peter Curzon – design on album remaster
*Bob Dowling – outer sleeve photos
*[[James Guthrie (record producer)|James Guthrie]] – [[Audio mastering|remastering]]
*[[Hipgnosis]] – band photo
*[[John Leckie]] – engineering (Air and EMI Studios)
*Tony May – inner sleeve photos
*[[Pink Floyd]] – album cover design
*[[Roger Quested]] – engineering (Morgan Studio)
*Doug Sax – remastering
*Seamus the Dog – [[dog communication#Vocalizations|vocals]] on "Seamus"
*[[Storm Thorgerson]] – design on album remaster


==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|group="nb"}}

;Footnotes
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation | last = Blake | first = Mark | title = Comfortably Numb - The Inside Story of Pink Floyd | publisher = Thunder's Mouth Press | year = 2007 | isbn = 1568583834}}
*{{Citation | last = Harris | first = John | title = The Dark Side of the Moon | publisher = Harper Perennial | edition = Third | year = 2006 | isbn = 9780007790906}}
*{{Citation | last = Mabbett | first = Andy | title = The complete guide to the music of Pink Floyd | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7Bc1YbCd7eAC | edition = Illustrated | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 1995 | isbn = 071194301X}}
*{{Citation | last = Mason | first = Nick | title = Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd | publisher = Phoenix | edition = Paperback | editor = Philip Dodd | year = 2005 | isbn = 0753819066}}
*{{Citation | last = Povey | first = Glenn | title = Echoes | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C | publisher = Mind Head Publishing | year = 2007 | isbn = 0955462401 }}
*{{Citation | last = Schaffner | first = Nicholas | title = Saucerful of Secrets | publisher = London : Sidgwick & Jackson | year = 1991 | edition = First | isbn = 0283061278 }}
*{{Citation | last = Snider | first = Charles | title = The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9nkarh6kA8oC | publisher = Lulu.com | year = 2008 | isbn = 061517566X}}
{{refend}}

;Further reading
{{refbegin}}
*{{Citation| last = Reising | first = Russell | title = Speak to Me | url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=x_0oXORl4dIC|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd|year=2005|isbn=0754640191}}
{{refend}}

{{Pink Floyd}}

[[Category:1971 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by David Gilmour]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Nick Mason]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Richard Wright]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Roger Waters]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Storm Thorgerson]]
[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]
[[Category:EMI Records albums]]
[[Category:English-language albums]]
[[Category:Harvest Records albums]]
[[Category:Pink Floyd albums]]
[[Category:Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab albums]]

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Frank Buckles

2010-05-13T05:05:36Z

Mk5384: /* Biography */ removed hidden comment about meeting Hi

{{Infobox Military Person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917.(This quote is denied by Frank Buckles' daughter.)"'' Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war.

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{fact}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-13T04:54:51Z

Mk5384: /* Biography */removed "should be taken lightly"

{{Infobox Military Person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917.(This quote is denied by Frank Buckles' daughter.)"'' Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war. 

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].{{fact}}<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-13T04:28:08Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */

{{Infobox Military Person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917.(This quote is denied by Frank Buckles' daughter and therefore, should be taken lightly.)"'' Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war. 

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]], [[Purple Heart]], or have been [[killed in action]].<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-13T04:27:10Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */ Medal of Honor winners are also eligible for burial at Arlington

{{Infobox Military Person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917.(This quote is denied by Frank Buckles' daughter and therefore, should be taken lightly.)"'' Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war. 

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Medal of Honor]] [[Purple Heart]] or have been [[killed in action]].<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Frank Buckles

2010-05-13T04:25:19Z

Mk5384: /* Buckles today */

{{Infobox Military Person
| name = Frank W. Buckles
| born = {{birth date and age|1901|2|1}}
| image = [[File:Frank Buckles WW1 at 16 edited.jpg|200px]]
| caption = Buckles in 1917 (age 16)
| nickname =
| placeofbirth = [[Bethany, Missouri|Bethany]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| placeofdeath =
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[United States Army|US Army]]
| serviceyears = 1917 – 1920
| rank = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
| unit = 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment
| commands =
| battles = [[World War I]]
| awards = [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur|French Legion of Honor]]}}

'''Frank Woodruff Buckles''' (born February 1, 1901) is, at age {{age|1901|2|1}}, the last living [[United States|American]] veteran of [[World War I]] and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.<ref name="ABCNews"/> He currently lives at [[Gap View Farm]], near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]] and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During [[World War II]], Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

==Biography==
Buckles was born in [[Bethany, Missouri]]. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the beginning of America's involvement in [[World War I]] in April 1917. Only 16 years old at the time, Buckles was asked by his recruiter to show a birth certificate. Later Buckles said of that event, ''“I was just 16 and didn’t look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I’d left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They’d take one look at me and laugh and tell me to go home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn’t sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917.(This quote is denied by Frank Buckles' daughter and therefore, should be taken lightly.)"'' Before being accepted into the [[United States Army]], he was turned down by the [[United States Marines Corps|Marine Corps]] due to his slight weight.
In 1917, Buckles was sent to Europe on the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']], which had rescued ''[[Titanic]]'' survivors five years earlier. During the war Buckles served in England and France, driving [[ambulance]]s and [[motorcycle]]s for the Army's 1st [[Fort Riley]] Casualty Detachment. After the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Armistice]] in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1919, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], in honor of those Americans who died in World War I. While there, he met [[General of the Armies|General]] [[John J. Pershing|John Pershing]], commander of all U.S. forces in France during the war. 

In the 1940s Buckles worked for a shipping company in [[Manila, Philippines]]. He was captured by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] in 1942 and spent the next three and a half years in the [[Raid at Los Baños#Life in captivity|Los Baños prison camp]]. He became malnourished, with a weight below 100 lb, and developed [[beriberi]], yet led his fellow inmates in calisthenics. He was rescued on February 23, 1945.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-27-cover-ww1-vet_N.htm?POE=NEWISVA "'One of the last': WWI vet recalls Great War"]</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Gap View Farm.jpg|thumb|right|1930s view of Gap View Farm]] 

In 1953, Buckles married and bought the {{convert|330|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Gap View Farm]] in [[West Virginia]]. His wife died in 1999, and their daughter moved back to the farm to care for her father.

==Buckles today==
Buckles currently lives near [[Charles Town, West Virginia]]. Buckles stated in an interview with ''[[The Washington Post]]'' on Veterans' Day 2007 that he believes the United States should go to war only
''"when it's an emergency."''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101576.html "World War I Veteran Reflects on Lessons"]</ref><ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/12/106-year-old-wwi-veteran-speaks-on-the-iraq-war "106-year old WWI veteran speaks on the Iraq war"]</ref> When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: ''"Hope"'',
adding, ''"[W]hen you start to die... don't."'' He also said the reason he has lived so long is that, ''"I never got in a hurry."''

The U.S. [[Library of Congress]] included Buckles in its Veterans History Project and has audio, video and pictorial information on Buckles's experiences in both world wars, including a full 148-minute video interview.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/#vhp:clip, May 29, 2007, Library of Congress, Veterans History Project]</ref> Buckles' life was featured on the [[Memorial Day]] 2007 episode of ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.

On March 6, 2008, he met with [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] at the White House.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/oldest.american.vet/index.html "Bush thanks WWI veteran for 'love for America'"]</ref> The same day, he attended the opening of a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] exhibit featuring photos of nine surviving World War I veterans created by historian and photographer David DeJonge. Of the group, only Buckles remains.<ref name="ABCNews">{{cite news|title = Last doughboy gets Presidential 'Thank You'|publisher = abcnews.com| date = March 6, 2008 |url = http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=4404661|accessdate = March 7, 2008}}</ref>
[[Image:Gates-Buckles.jpg|thumb|left|Buckles (wearing the WWI Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal) with [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Robert Gates]].]]

[[Image:Frank Buckles at 106.jpg|thumb|right|Buckles at age 106 wearing the French Legion of Honor]]

Buckles has said he will be buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was eligible for [[cremation]] and placement in a [[columbarium]] at Arlington,<ref name=WSAZ>{{cite news|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17465464.html |title=Feds Approve Burial of Last WWI Vet at Arlington |author=Associated Press |publisher=[[WSAZ-TV]] |date=April 10, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> but expressed a desire for burial there, which he was not eligible for under current Arlington policy, which requires a veteran to have a [[Purple Heart]] or have been [[killed in action]].<ref name="Salem news">{{cite news|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april082008/ww1_vet_4-8-08.php |title=Arlington Cemetery Makes Historic Exception for World War I Veteran |publisher=''Salem-News.com'' |date=April 8, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2008}}</ref> Friends and family members took up his cause, but made no headway until a relative, Ken Buckles, contacted [[Ross Perot]], whom Frank had met at a history seminar in 2001. Within two weeks, Perot had successfully intervened with [[George W. Bush|the White House]],<ref name="Salem news"/> and on March 19, 2008, Buckles received special approval for underground burial at Arlington.<ref name=WSAZ/>

Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the [[World War I Memorial Foundation]], which seeks refurbishment of the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] and its establishment as the [[World War I Memorial Foundation|National World War I Memorial]] on the [[National Mall]]. Buckles appeared before [[U.S. Congress|Congress]] on December 3, 2009, advocating on behalf of such legislation.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-07-pearl-harbor-attack_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular | work=USA Today | title=1941 attack on Pearl Harbor far from forgotten | date=December 7, 2009 | accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=7658778&page=1 |title=The Last U.S. Soldier From the Great War|date=2009-05-09|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=16381 |title=Honor WWI vets with a national memorial in D.C.|date=2009-05-31|accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref> On February 1, 2010, on Buckles's 109th birthday, his official biographer announced that he will be completing a film—currently in production—on Buckles's life. The film is a cumulative work of three years of interviews and intimate moments gathered by DeJonge as he traveled the nation with Buckles.[http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/531249.html]

==Awards==
For his service during World War I, Buckles received (from the U.S. Government) the [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] and the [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]]. In addition, French president [[Jacques Chirac]] awarded him France's [[Légion d'honneur]].

On May 25, 2008, Buckles received the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]]’ Gold Medal of Merit at the [[Liberty Memorial]]. He sat for a portrait taken by David DeJonge that will hang in the [[National World War I Museum]], as ''"the last surviving link"''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/635720.html |title='Last surviving link' to World War I earns a fitting salute |author=Matt Campbell |publisher=''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=May 25, 2008}}</ref>

Buckles received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) on September 24, 2008. The KCCH is the last honor a freemason receives prior to the 33°. The ceremony was hosted by Ronald Seale, 33°, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. A keynote address was provided by James Peake, Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

==See also==
{{Portal box|United States Army|World War I}}

*[[List of last surviving World War I veterans by country]]
*[[List of surviving veterans of World War I]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://frankbuckles.org Official website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/opinion/12rubin.html "Over There — and Gone Forever"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', by [[Richard Rubin]], November 12, 2007
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html Last surviving U.S. World War I vet honored by President George W. Bush]
*[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/last-doughboy.html "The Last Doughboy of World War I"] by [[Richard Rubin]], ''Smithsonian Magazine'', October 2008.
*[http://vimeo.com/5966300 "Buckles"], a film by Sean Dunne at Vimeo, August 2009.

{{Persondata
|NAME= Buckles, Frank Woodruff
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army soldier and centenarian
|DATE OF BIRTH=February 1, 1901
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Bethany, Missouri]], USA
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckles, Frank}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:American centenarians]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Harrison County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:United States Merchant Marine]]

[[da:Frank Buckles]]
[[fr:Frank Buckles]]
[[it:Frank Buckles]]
[[nl:Frank Buckles]]
[[pt:Frank Buckles]]
[[simple:Frank Buckles]]
[[fi:Frank Buckles]]

Paul Roma

2010-05-07T07:02:31Z

Mk5384: removed opinion

{{Infobox Wrestler
|name=Paul Centopani
|image=Paul roma 1994.jpg
|names=Paul Roma
|height={{height|ft=5|in=11}}
|weight={{convert|244|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1960|4|29}}
|birth_place=Kensington, New York, [[United States|U.S.]]
|resides=[[Bridgeport, Connecticut]]
|billed=
|trainer=
|debut=1985
|retired=
}}
'''Paul Roma''' (born '''Paul Centopani''' April 29, 1960) is a [[professional wrestler]] who is known for his work in the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] and [[World Championship Wrestling]] primarily as a tag-team wrestler alongside such partners as [[Jim Powers]], [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]], [[Arn Anderson]] and [[Paul Orndorff]].

==Professional wrestling career==
===World Wrestling Federation===
Roma made his pro wrestling debut in 1985 and soon signed contracts with the WWF. His first big break came in 1987 when he was paired up with [[Jim Powers]] in a tag team called [[The Young Stallions]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1987 | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart & Danny Davis) defeated Paul Roma & Jim Powers}}</ref> The team seemingly received their name by accident when play-by-play commentator [[Vince McMahon]] referred to them once as "a couple of young stallions", thus naming the team. Powers and Roma were still viewed as enhancement talent when, during the August 8, 1987 episode of ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling]]'' (taped July 15), they scored an upset disqualification victory over [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|WWF Tag Team Champions]] the [[Hart Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1987 | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = Roma & Jim Powers defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification when the champions illegally double teamed the challengers}}</ref> The victory launched the team into a run as featured performers in the WWF. They were even one of only two surviving teams alongside [[The Killer Bees(wrestling)|The Killer Bees]] in the elimination tag team match at the first annual [[Survivor Series (1987)|Survivor Series]] pay-per-view on November 26, 1987.<ref>{{cite book | author=Brian Shields | title=Main event – WWE in the raging 80s| publisher=Pocket Books| year=4th Edition 2006 | isbn=978-1-4165-3257-6 }}</ref>

It was not too long before WWF owner Vince McMahon seemed to lose interest in the idea of pushing the Young Stallions. This may have been due, in part, to the fact that Powers and Roma did not get along with each other. The team was placed in featured matches on television and at [[house shows]], but most times ended up on the losing end. Following yet another loss, this time to [[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]] on the March 19, 1989 episode of ''WWF Wrestling Challenge'', the team began arguing after the match. Soon, they were split up off camera without an official announcement. The Young Stallions reunited briefly from June 1989 to August 1989. After that, Roma and Powers went their separate ways and both floundered on the undercard afterward, for Powers it would be that way for the remainder of his career.

On his own, Roma began a slow resurgence. He defeated [[Boris Zukhov]] in a dark match at the 1989 [[Survivor Series]], and also pinned [[Steve Lombardi]] in a dark matches at the 1990 [[Royal Rumble]] and [[WrestleMania VI]]. Televised victories over [[Buddy Rose]] and [[Boris Zukhov]] followed in the spring of 1990, although he remained unable to establish himself in the midcard as he sustained defeats to [[Rick Martel]], [[Bad News Brown]] and [[Ted Dibiase]]. However it was in tag-team action once more that Roma's career would see a resurgence. In May on Prime Time wrestling Roma teamed with Hercules Hernandez for the first time, defeating Ken Johnson and Buddy Rose. At first this seemed like a one-time pairing, but played into a major storyline the following month.

In June 1990 Roma’s career took a turn as he turned heel alongside [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]]. After losing a WWF Superstars match to [[Dino Bravo]], the Rockers came out to help Roma but ended up getting into a shoving match with him instead. Hercules came to ringside and then proceeded to attack Michaels and Jannetty. Roma & Hercules then became an official team with the moniker [[Power and Glory]], managed by [[Ken Johnson (wrestling)|Slick]]. They had a high profile feud with [[the Rockers]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/summer.html#90| title = WWF SummerSlam Results (1990) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> and challenged WWF World Tag-Team Champions the Hart Foundation<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/90.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1990 | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = December 27, 1990: WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart defeated Paul Roma & Hercules }}</ref> but the two, despite working well together as a team, never seemed to be able to win that "big match" they needed to cement themselves as serious players in the tag-team division. When [[The Road Warriors|The Legion of Doom]] squashed them in under a minute at [[WrestleMania VII]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/mania.html#VII| title = WWF WrestleMania Results (VII) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> the writing was on the wall, the team was not destined for greatness. Roma was featured in numerous televised singles matches in the summer of 1991, sustaining losses to Davey Boy Smith, Virgil, Bret Hart, and Rick Steamboat. After a final pairing with Hercules as Power & Glory (along with the Warlord) in a six man match against Davey Boy Smith, Kerry Von Erich, and Rick Steamboat which ended in a loss at [[SummerSlam (1991)|Summer Slam 1991]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/summer.html#91 | title = WWF SummerSlam Results (1991) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> Roma left the WWF and Hercules spent the rest of his time in the WWF as an "Enhancement Talent".

===World Championship Wrestling===
In 1993 Roma signed a contract with [[World Championship Wrestling]] and would receive his biggest push of his career, as he became part of the [[Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)|Four Horsemen]] alongside [[Ric Flair]] and [[Arn Anderson]]. Ric Flair had returned from the WWF in early 1993 to rejoin Arn and they promised a Horsemen reunion at [[Slamboree#1993|Slamboree]]. The original plan was to have former horseman [[Tully Blanchard]] return, but the negotiations between WCW and Blanchard hit a snag when Tully failed a drug test.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} Roma and Arn Anderson teamed up and won the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] from [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]] and [[Darren Matthews|"Lord" Steven Regal]] (who was substituting for an injured [[Brian Pillman]]).<ref name="Titles">{{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2006 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}</ref> Roma and Anderson would only hold on to the gold for a little over a month before losing the gold to [[The Nasty Boys]] after a short and relatively uneventful title reign.<ref name="Titles"/>

After the 1993 WCW PPV [[Battlebowl]] the Horsemen Roma and Arn Anderson faced the semi-regular team of Paul Orndorff and "Stunning" Steve Austin on WCW Saturday Night. During the match Roma acted very indifferent to his tag-team partner sowing the seeds for his heel turn. Next Roma teamed with [[Erik Watts]] to take on the team of Orndorff and Austin once again, this time Roma took it a step further and attacked Erik Watts before announcing that he was now teaming with Paul Orndorff. Under the tutelage of manager [[Jody Hamilton|Masked Assassin]] the team quickly began to work well together in a feud with [[Buff Bagwell|Marcus Alexander Bagwell]] and [[Charlie Skaggs|2 Cold Scorpio]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#93 | title = WCW Starrcade Results (1993) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash2.html#XXVI | title = WCW Clash of the Champions Results (XXVI) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> After a few months as a team they targeted the then WCW World Tag Team Champions [[Mick Foley|Cactus Jack]] and [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]]. Going into [[Bash at the Beach#1994|Bash at the Beach 1994]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/beach.html#94 | title = WCW Bash at the Beach Results (1994) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> Pretty Wonderful had the advantage as both champions were suffering from injuries inflicted by the challengers on previous occasions (or so the storyline went). Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan were unable to hold off Roma and Orndorff as Pretty Wonderful left the ring with the gold.<ref name="Titles"/><ref>{{cite book | author = Mick Foley | title = Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks | publisher = HarperCollins | date = 2000 | isbn = 0061031011 | page = 277}}</ref> After winning the titles Pretty Wonderful was immediately challenged by the Nasty Boys but the Nasty Boys were never able to take the gold from the champions. Next Pretty Wonderful were challenged by the duo of [[Stars N Stripes|Stars’N’Stripes]] ([[Buff Bagwell|Marcus Alexander Bagwell]] & [[Del Wilkes|The Patriot]]) at [[Fall Brawl#1994|Fall Brawl]]. The champions retained<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/fall.html#94 | title = WCW Fall Brawl Results (1994) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> but a week later the championship changed hands when Stars’N’Stripes got the 1-2-3.<ref name="Titles"/> Pretty Wonderful was granted a rematch against the new champions with a match booked for [[Halloween Havoc#1994|Halloween Havoc]], Pretty Wonderful regained the titles when Roma dropped an elbow from the top rope on Bagwell, who had Orndorff trapped in a fisherman's suplex, but the referee's back was turned.

At [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XXIX|Clash of the Champions XXIX]] Stars’N’Stripes were granted a final shot at the tag-team titles, but the challengers also had to put up he Patriot’s mask on the line, if they lost he would unmask. After a controversial double pin finish Stars’N’Stripes were declared the winners and thus the champions putting the end to Pretty Wonderful’s second and final run with the gold.<ref name="Titles"/> After the loss Roma and Orndorff went their separate ways with Roma being used as "Enhancement talent" to help build young stars. When Roma was asked to help make WCW newcomer [[Alex Wright|"Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright]] look good at [[SuperBrawl#SuperBrawl V|SuperBrawl V]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/s-brawl.html#V | title = WCW SuperBrawl Results (V) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> he refused to cooperate even going so far as to openly mocking Wright during the match and was then fired for not following the instructions.

===Post WCW-career===
He attempted to make a WWF comeback in late 1997 alongside a student of [[Harry Fujiwara|Mr. Fuji]] called Alex Roma, calling themselves the Pretty Primos. However, they only made one appearance together at a WWF house show<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/97.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1998 | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = December 30, 1997: Alex & Paul Roma defeated Ross Greenburg & Brian Walsh}}</ref> and no contract was ever offered to the two. After failing to make it into the WWF again Roma decided to retire in 1998 and focus on other business ventures in relation to bodybuilding and wrestling.

In 2006 Roma resurfaced on the wrestling scene as he was named the commissioner of the independent promotion, Connecticut Championship Wrestling, a federation which is currently closed down. He also had a "Pretty Wonderful" reunion with Paul Orndorff in Connecticut Championship Wrestling. Roma has since been competing in the IAW (Independent Association of Wrestling) wrestling promotion. Roma won the IAW Heavyweight Championship, after beating Brian Costello (aka The Crippler), on July 8, 2006 at IAW Clash at the Cove VIII, in [[South Bend, Indiana|South Bend, IN]].<ref name="IAW">{{cite web| url = http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/htiaw.html | title = IAW Heavyweight Title History| accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Solie’s Vintage Wrestling}}</ref> He eventually lost the title to The Crippler on March 24, 2007 at IAW Clash at the CAVE II<ref name="IAW"/> (held in the gym of Mishawaka High School in [[Mishawaka, Indiana|Mishawaka, IN]]) after receiving a piledriver onto a chair, behind the back of special referee Brandon Trtan, who was attacked and knocked out of the ring by Roma.

==Boxing career==
After leaving the World Wrestling Federation in 1991, Roma turned to pro boxing, competing under Paul Roma since it was the name that he thought had the most recognition factor. He had a sum total of three professional boxing matches.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=054015 | title = Paul Roma (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> In his debut match on March 6, 1992 Roma lost via TKO in the fourth round to a fighter named Jerry Arentzen, when his trainer threw in the towel. The victory was one of Arentzen’s two wins in 22 matches.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=004764 | title = Jerry Arentzen (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> On April 1, 1992 he defeated Norman Fortini and then on May 5, 1992 he fought and defeated Norman Shrink, this was both Fortini’s<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=219613 | title = Norman Fortini (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> and Shrink’s<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=243220 | title = Norman Shrink (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> only professional boxing match ever. After the third fight Roma stopped boxing and returned to professional wrestling mainly on the independent circuit.

==Personal life==
Roma got married in September 2006, and he is running a wrestling training school in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]].

==In wrestling==
*'''Finishing moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Diving elbow drop|Diving elbow drop]]

*'''Signature moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|Diving splash]]
**[[Dropkick]]

*'''With [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules Hernandez]]'''
**''Power-Plex'' ([[Suplex#Superplex|Superplex]] by Hernandez followed by a [[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|diving splash]] by Roma)

*'''[[Manager (professional wrestling)|Managers]]'''
**[[Ken Johnson (wrestling)|Slick]]
**[[Jody Hamilton|Masked Assassin]]
**Mr. Ruby

==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''Catch Wrestling Association'''
:*CWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)

*'''Independent Association of Wrestling'''
:*IAW Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
:*IAW Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with [[Barry Darsow|Repo Man]] (1), [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]] (1), and Alex Roma (1)

*'''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''
:*PWI # '''434''' of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
:*[[PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year]] award in 1990

*'''[[World Championship Wrestling]]'''
:*[[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of WCW World Tag Team Champions|3 times]]) - with [[Arn Anderson]] (1) and [[Paul Orndorff]] (2)

==See also==
{{Portal|Professional wrestling|break=yes}}
*[[Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)]]
*[[The Young Stallions]]
*[[Power and Glory]]
*[[Pretty Wonderful]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mediaman.com.au/profiles/roma.html Paul Roma - Media Man Australia profile]
{{Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)}}
{{NWA World Tag Team Championship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roma, Paul}}
[[Category:American professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:American boxers]]
[[Category:People from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]

[[nl:Paul Centopani]]
[[ja:ポール・ローマ]]

Paul Roma

2010-05-07T07:01:42Z

Mk5384: /* Personal life */ removed irrevelant comment

{{Infobox Wrestler
|name=Paul Centopani
|image=Paul roma 1994.jpg
|names=Paul Roma
|height={{height|ft=5|in=11}}
|weight={{convert|244|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1960|4|29}}
|birth_place=Kensington, New York, [[United States|U.S.]]
|resides=[[Bridgeport, Connecticut]]
|billed=
|trainer=
|debut=1985
|retired=
}}
'''Paul Roma''' (born '''Paul Centopani''' April 29, 1960) is a [[professional wrestler]] who is most known for his work in the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] and [[World Championship Wrestling]] primarily as a tag-team wrestler alongside such partners as [[Jim Powers]], [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]], [[Arn Anderson]] and [[Paul Orndorff]].

==Professional wrestling career==
===World Wrestling Federation===
Roma made his pro wrestling debut in 1985 and soon signed contracts with the WWF. His first big break came in 1987 when he was paired up with [[Jim Powers]] in a tag team called [[The Young Stallions]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1987 | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart & Danny Davis) defeated Paul Roma & Jim Powers}}</ref> The team seemingly received their name by accident when play-by-play commentator [[Vince McMahon]] referred to them once as "a couple of young stallions", thus naming the team. Powers and Roma were still viewed as enhancement talent when, during the August 8, 1987 episode of ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling]]'' (taped July 15), they scored an upset disqualification victory over [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|WWF Tag Team Champions]] the [[Hart Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1987 | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = Roma & Jim Powers defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification when the champions illegally double teamed the challengers}}</ref> The victory launched the team into a run as featured performers in the WWF. They were even one of only two surviving teams alongside [[The Killer Bees(wrestling)|The Killer Bees]] in the elimination tag team match at the first annual [[Survivor Series (1987)|Survivor Series]] pay-per-view on November 26, 1987.<ref>{{cite book | author=Brian Shields | title=Main event – WWE in the raging 80s| publisher=Pocket Books| year=4th Edition 2006 | isbn=978-1-4165-3257-6 }}</ref>

It was not too long before WWF owner Vince McMahon seemed to lose interest in the idea of pushing the Young Stallions. This may have been due, in part, to the fact that Powers and Roma did not get along with each other. The team was placed in featured matches on television and at [[house shows]], but most times ended up on the losing end. Following yet another loss, this time to [[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]] on the March 19, 1989 episode of ''WWF Wrestling Challenge'', the team began arguing after the match. Soon, they were split up off camera without an official announcement. The Young Stallions reunited briefly from June 1989 to August 1989. After that, Roma and Powers went their separate ways and both floundered on the undercard afterward, for Powers it would be that way for the remainder of his career.

On his own, Roma began a slow resurgence. He defeated [[Boris Zukhov]] in a dark match at the 1989 [[Survivor Series]], and also pinned [[Steve Lombardi]] in a dark matches at the 1990 [[Royal Rumble]] and [[WrestleMania VI]]. Televised victories over [[Buddy Rose]] and [[Boris Zukhov]] followed in the spring of 1990, although he remained unable to establish himself in the midcard as he sustained defeats to [[Rick Martel]], [[Bad News Brown]] and [[Ted Dibiase]]. However it was in tag-team action once more that Roma's career would see a resurgence. In May on Prime Time wrestling Roma teamed with Hercules Hernandez for the first time, defeating Ken Johnson and Buddy Rose. At first this seemed like a one-time pairing, but played into a major storyline the following month.

In June 1990 Roma’s career took a turn as he turned heel alongside [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]]. After losing a WWF Superstars match to [[Dino Bravo]], the Rockers came out to help Roma but ended up getting into a shoving match with him instead. Hercules came to ringside and then proceeded to attack Michaels and Jannetty. Roma & Hercules then became an official team with the moniker [[Power and Glory]], managed by [[Ken Johnson (wrestling)|Slick]]. They had a high profile feud with [[the Rockers]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/summer.html#90| title = WWF SummerSlam Results (1990) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> and challenged WWF World Tag-Team Champions the Hart Foundation<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/90.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1990 | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = December 27, 1990: WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart defeated Paul Roma & Hercules }}</ref> but the two, despite working well together as a team, never seemed to be able to win that "big match" they needed to cement themselves as serious players in the tag-team division. When [[The Road Warriors|The Legion of Doom]] squashed them in under a minute at [[WrestleMania VII]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/mania.html#VII| title = WWF WrestleMania Results (VII) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> the writing was on the wall, the team was not destined for greatness. Roma was featured in numerous televised singles matches in the summer of 1991, sustaining losses to Davey Boy Smith, Virgil, Bret Hart, and Rick Steamboat. After a final pairing with Hercules as Power & Glory (along with the Warlord) in a six man match against Davey Boy Smith, Kerry Von Erich, and Rick Steamboat which ended in a loss at [[SummerSlam (1991)|Summer Slam 1991]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/summer.html#91 | title = WWF SummerSlam Results (1991) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com }}</ref> Roma left the WWF and Hercules spent the rest of his time in the WWF as an "Enhancement Talent".

===World Championship Wrestling===
In 1993 Roma signed a contract with [[World Championship Wrestling]] and would receive his biggest push of his career, as he became part of the [[Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)|Four Horsemen]] alongside [[Ric Flair]] and [[Arn Anderson]]. Ric Flair had returned from the WWF in early 1993 to rejoin Arn and they promised a Horsemen reunion at [[Slamboree#1993|Slamboree]]. The original plan was to have former horseman [[Tully Blanchard]] return, but the negotiations between WCW and Blanchard hit a snag when Tully failed a drug test.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} Roma and Arn Anderson teamed up and won the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] from [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]] and [[Darren Matthews|"Lord" Steven Regal]] (who was substituting for an injured [[Brian Pillman]]).<ref name="Titles">{{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2006 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}</ref> Roma and Anderson would only hold on to the gold for a little over a month before losing the gold to [[The Nasty Boys]] after a short and relatively uneventful title reign.<ref name="Titles"/>

After the 1993 WCW PPV [[Battlebowl]] the Horsemen Roma and Arn Anderson faced the semi-regular team of Paul Orndorff and "Stunning" Steve Austin on WCW Saturday Night. During the match Roma acted very indifferent to his tag-team partner sowing the seeds for his heel turn. Next Roma teamed with [[Erik Watts]] to take on the team of Orndorff and Austin once again, this time Roma took it a step further and attacked Erik Watts before announcing that he was now teaming with Paul Orndorff. Under the tutelage of manager [[Jody Hamilton|Masked Assassin]] the team quickly began to work well together in a feud with [[Buff Bagwell|Marcus Alexander Bagwell]] and [[Charlie Skaggs|2 Cold Scorpio]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#93 | title = WCW Starrcade Results (1993) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash2.html#XXVI | title = WCW Clash of the Champions Results (XXVI) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> After a few months as a team they targeted the then WCW World Tag Team Champions [[Mick Foley|Cactus Jack]] and [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]]. Going into [[Bash at the Beach#1994|Bash at the Beach 1994]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/beach.html#94 | title = WCW Bash at the Beach Results (1994) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> Pretty Wonderful had the advantage as both champions were suffering from injuries inflicted by the challengers on previous occasions (or so the storyline went). Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan were unable to hold off Roma and Orndorff as Pretty Wonderful left the ring with the gold.<ref name="Titles"/><ref>{{cite book | author = Mick Foley | title = Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks | publisher = HarperCollins | date = 2000 | isbn = 0061031011 | page = 277}}</ref> After winning the titles Pretty Wonderful was immediately challenged by the Nasty Boys but the Nasty Boys were never able to take the gold from the champions. Next Pretty Wonderful were challenged by the duo of [[Stars N Stripes|Stars’N’Stripes]] ([[Buff Bagwell|Marcus Alexander Bagwell]] & [[Del Wilkes|The Patriot]]) at [[Fall Brawl#1994|Fall Brawl]]. The champions retained<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/fall.html#94 | title = WCW Fall Brawl Results (1994) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> but a week later the championship changed hands when Stars’N’Stripes got the 1-2-3.<ref name="Titles"/> Pretty Wonderful was granted a rematch against the new champions with a match booked for [[Halloween Havoc#1994|Halloween Havoc]], Pretty Wonderful regained the titles when Roma dropped an elbow from the top rope on Bagwell, who had Orndorff trapped in a fisherman's suplex, but the referee's back was turned.

At [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XXIX|Clash of the Champions XXIX]] Stars’N’Stripes were granted a final shot at the tag-team titles, but the challengers also had to put up he Patriot’s mask on the line, if they lost he would unmask. After a controversial double pin finish Stars’N’Stripes were declared the winners and thus the champions putting the end to Pretty Wonderful’s second and final run with the gold.<ref name="Titles"/> After the loss Roma and Orndorff went their separate ways with Roma being used as "Enhancement talent" to help build young stars. When Roma was asked to help make WCW newcomer [[Alex Wright|"Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright]] look good at [[SuperBrawl#SuperBrawl V|SuperBrawl V]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/s-brawl.html#V | title = WCW SuperBrawl Results (V) | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = prowrestlinghistory.com}}</ref> he refused to cooperate even going so far as to openly mocking Wright during the match and was then fired for not following the instructions.

===Post WCW-career===
He attempted to make a WWF comeback in late 1997 alongside a student of [[Harry Fujiwara|Mr. Fuji]] called Alex Roma, calling themselves the Pretty Primos. However, they only made one appearance together at a WWF house show<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/97.htm | title = WWF Show Results 1998 | accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | quote = December 30, 1997: Alex & Paul Roma defeated Ross Greenburg & Brian Walsh}}</ref> and no contract was ever offered to the two. After failing to make it into the WWF again Roma decided to retire in 1998 and focus on other business ventures in relation to bodybuilding and wrestling.

In 2006 Roma resurfaced on the wrestling scene as he was named the commissioner of the independent promotion, Connecticut Championship Wrestling, a federation which is currently closed down. He also had a "Pretty Wonderful" reunion with Paul Orndorff in Connecticut Championship Wrestling. Roma has since been competing in the IAW (Independent Association of Wrestling) wrestling promotion. Roma won the IAW Heavyweight Championship, after beating Brian Costello (aka The Crippler), on July 8, 2006 at IAW Clash at the Cove VIII, in [[South Bend, Indiana|South Bend, IN]].<ref name="IAW">{{cite web| url = http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/htiaw.html | title = IAW Heavyweight Title History| accessdate=7 April 2007| author = Solie’s Vintage Wrestling}}</ref> He eventually lost the title to The Crippler on March 24, 2007 at IAW Clash at the CAVE II<ref name="IAW"/> (held in the gym of Mishawaka High School in [[Mishawaka, Indiana|Mishawaka, IN]]) after receiving a piledriver onto a chair, behind the back of special referee Brandon Trtan, who was attacked and knocked out of the ring by Roma.

==Boxing career==
After leaving the World Wrestling Federation in 1991, Roma turned to pro boxing, competing under Paul Roma since it was the name that he thought had the most recognition factor. He had a sum total of three professional boxing matches.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=054015 | title = Paul Roma (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> In his debut match on March 6, 1992 Roma lost via TKO in the fourth round to a fighter named Jerry Arentzen, when his trainer threw in the towel. The victory was one of Arentzen’s two wins in 22 matches.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=004764 | title = Jerry Arentzen (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> On April 1, 1992 he defeated Norman Fortini and then on May 5, 1992 he fought and defeated Norman Shrink, this was both Fortini’s<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=219613 | title = Norman Fortini (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> and Shrink’s<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=243220 | title = Norman Shrink (Boxing Record) | accessdate=3 April 2007| author = BoxRec}}</ref> only professional boxing match ever. After the third fight Roma stopped boxing and returned to professional wrestling mainly on the independent circuit.

==Personal life==
Roma got married in September 2006, and he is running a wrestling training school in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]].

==In wrestling==
*'''Finishing moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Diving elbow drop|Diving elbow drop]]

*'''Signature moves'''
**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|Diving splash]]
**[[Dropkick]]

*'''With [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules Hernandez]]'''
**''Power-Plex'' ([[Suplex#Superplex|Superplex]] by Hernandez followed by a [[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|diving splash]] by Roma)

*'''[[Manager (professional wrestling)|Managers]]'''
**[[Ken Johnson (wrestling)|Slick]]
**[[Jody Hamilton|Masked Assassin]]
**Mr. Ruby

==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''Catch Wrestling Association'''
:*CWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)

*'''Independent Association of Wrestling'''
:*IAW Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
:*IAW Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with [[Barry Darsow|Repo Man]] (1), [[Ray Fernandez|Hercules]] (1), and Alex Roma (1)

*'''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''
:*PWI # '''434''' of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
:*[[PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year]] award in 1990

*'''[[World Championship Wrestling]]'''
:*[[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of WCW World Tag Team Champions|3 times]]) - with [[Arn Anderson]] (1) and [[Paul Orndorff]] (2)

==See also==
{{Portal|Professional wrestling|break=yes}}
*[[Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)]]
*[[The Young Stallions]]
*[[Power and Glory]]
*[[Pretty Wonderful]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mediaman.com.au/profiles/roma.html Paul Roma - Media Man Australia profile]
{{Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)}}
{{NWA World Tag Team Championship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roma, Paul}}
[[Category:American professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:American boxers]]
[[Category:People from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]

[[nl:Paul Centopani]]
[[ja:ポール・ローマ]]

Underboss

2010-02-07T16:01:02Z

Mk5384:

{{Expert-subject|Crime|date=February 2009}}
{{Mafia}}
[[Image:Mafia_family_structure_tree.en.svg‎|left|350px|thumb|Italian mafia family structure tree]]

'''''Capo Bastone''''' or "'''Sotto Capo'''", known as the "'''Underboss'''" is second in command to the [[Crime boss|Capo Crimini]]. It is a [[Social rank|rank]] in the American and [[Italy|Italian]] [[Cosa Nostra|Mafia]]. The Underboss is sometimes a family member, such as a son, who will take over the family if the don is sick, killed, or sent to prison. In the American Mafia, it is the second highest rank a member can achieve, the highest being [[crime boss|boss]].

The power of an underboss greatly varies; some are marginal figures, while others are the most powerful individuals in the family. Traditionally they run day to day affairs of the family. In some crime families, the appointment is for life. If a new boss takes over a family already with an underboss, he may marginalize or even [[murder]] him. On other hand, if a boss receives a prison term, the underboss may become acting boss. As bosses often serve large periods of time in prison, an acting boss will often become the effective [[Crime boss|don]]. Even with the boss free, sometimes an underboss will gain enough power to become the effective head of the organization, and the boss will become a figurehead. An underboss likely has incriminating information about the boss, and so bosses often appoint people close to them to the underboss position for protection.

In most families, the underboss arbitrates many of the disputes. Depending on the seriousness of the problem, he might consult with the boss. Some conflicts are immediately bucked up to the boss. In those cases, the underboss usually sits in and offers his opinion. In either event, the ultimate authority rests with the boss. This sometimes chafes the ego of an ambitious underboss and can lead to problems.

An underboss receives monetary compensation in various ways. For example, he may be a partner in several rackets and thus get a cut. In addition, several capos may pass their envelopes through the underboss, who takes a percentage and passes the remainder to the boss. However he makes his illegal earnings, it is a significant enough amount to make his position one of envy, especially when prestige and the possibility of additional advancement are weighed. Sometimes an underboss will have his own crew.

Just like the boss of a family, an underboss may also have a right hand man. This right hand man may speak in place of an underboss or carry out additional tasks for the underboss.

==Famous Underbosses==
===American Cosa Nostra===
*[[Aniello Dellacroce]], longtime underboss of the [[Gambino crime family]]. He served under [[Carlo Gambino]] from 1957 to 1976 and, from 1976 to 1985 under [[Paul Castellano]]. He gained enormous power and the respect of most members of the family. Future Gambino boss [[John Gotti]] was closely aligned with Dellacroce.

*[[Sammy Gravano]], John Gotti's underboss after the murder of [[Frank DeCicco]]. He later turned [[informant]] when he learned that John Gotti had made degrading comments behind his back and may have wanted to use him as a [[scapegoat]].

*[[Anthony Casso|Anthony "Gas Pipe" Casso]], underboss of the [[Lucchese crime family]]. When captured in 1994, he became an [[informant]].

*[[Vito Genovese]], appointed underboss by [[Lucky Luciano]] to serve under [[Frank Costello]]. Genovese eventually plotted to murder Costello in 1957. The assassin was [[Vincent Gigante]], the future longtime boss of the [[Genovese Crime Family]]. The attempt failed, but Genovese still became the boss when Costello, shaken by the attempt, fled the mob.
*[[Vincent Basciano]], underboss to [[Bonanno crime family|Bonanno]] boss [[Joseph Massino]], after [[Salvatore Vitale]]

==Fictional Underbosses==
* [[John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni]] played by actor [[Vince Curatola]] in the [[HBO]] [[TV]] series ''[[The Sopranos]]'' was a longtime underboss in the fictional [[Lupertazzi]] crime family.

==References==
*[[Peter Maas|Maas, Peter]], ''Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia''. NY: Harper Collins, 1997. ISBN 0-06-093096-9
*Capeci, Jerry. ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia''. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2

[[Category:Organized crime members by role]]