Yes, World War II veterans are still alive, although many were well into their 90s or 100s before their passing. According to the National World War II Museum, there were roughly 16 million Americans who served in the military during World War II.
As of 2021, estimates indicate there are only about 500,000-600,000 World War II veterans still living in the United States. These remaining veterans are amongst the few who are still alive to be able to tell their stories and share their experiences from their time in the service.
Who is the youngest ww2 vet still alive?
The youngest World War II veteran still alive is Bill Maple of Victoria, Texas. Maple was just 17 years old when he enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1944. After joining the Army, Maple was sent to the Philippines and Japan.
While there, he served as a military policeman and saw action in both places, including participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Maple was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned home to Texas, where he has lived for the past 74 years.
Maple is believed to be the last surviving WWII participant from Victoria and possibly one of the last surviving veterans from the entire state of Texas.
What was the oldest age drafted in WWII?
The oldest age drafted in WWII depended on the country involved. In the United States, the oldest registered draftee was 62-year-old Fred L. Cossley, who late in the war joined the U. S. Army to serve as a cook in April 1945.
He was the last draftee registered through the American Selective Service System during the war and earned the nickname “Selective Senior Citizen. “.
In the United Kingdom, the oldest conscripted soldier was 74-year-old Alfred Smith, who joined in 1940 and was given the rank of private. In France, the oldest draftee was 66-year-old Paul-Henri Balta who served from August 1944 to April 1945.
At the start of the war, most countries limited the age of conscription to men between the ages of 18 and 45. As the war dragged on and the need for personnel intensified, some nations lowered the age limit.
The U. S. , for instance, lowered the age limit to 37 in 1945. As such, some men aged 62 may have been permitted to enlist.
How old would a Vietnam veteran be today?
A Vietnam veteran today would be anywhere from late 50s to early 70s, depending on when they served in the war. The Vietnam War began in 1955 and ended in 1975, so people who served in the war could range from their late teens to their early forties.
It is estimated that around 3 million American servicemen and women who served in the war are still alive today.
How old was too old to fight in ww2?
The minimum age to fight in WWII varied depending on the country. In the United States, the minimum age was 18. In Canada, some recruits were as young as 17, while Great Britain recruited volunteers who were 16 years old or older with parental permission.
The maximum age limit was usually between 45–55, depending on the country. In the United States, the oldest recruit was 68 years old, although some countries raised their age limits to 70–75 in 1944.
By the time the war ended, some elderly veterans were as old as 87.
Who Cannot be drafted?
Generally, anyone who meets the age requirements outlined in the federal Selective Service Act is eligible for being drafted. According to the Selective Service Act, most males between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register with the military draft.
However, there are certain individuals who cannot be drafted and therefore are exempt from registration.
Certain categories of individuals are exempt from draft registration and military service, these include men currently serving on active duty in the armed forces, members of the National Guard and the Reserves, immigrants and others with deferred action status, student ministers ordained by a recognized church, and men who have received conscientious objector status.
Additionally, individuals with specified physical or mental conditions and those who have been convicted of a felony may be disqualified from military service. Moreover, men over 26 years of age are temporarily exempt from the draft, but that could change if Congress and the President were to extend the draft age.
Who was exempt from the draft in WWII?
In the United States during World War II, the Selective Service System was in charge of the draft. Men between the ages of 18 and 37 were eligible for the draft unless they qualified for certain exemptions.
Certain exemptions included those in certain essential jobs, physically or mentally unfit individuals, parents and unmarried fathers in certain circumstances, men with multiple dependent children, conscientious objectors, ministers of religion, and students in certain circumstances.
Those with essential jobs could receive an occupational deferment. For example, farmers, mine workers, and those employed in defense jobs were all likely to receive occupational deferments. Exemption or deferment due to physical or mental disability required an individual to be assessed by a Local Board in order to receive classification 4-F, which was labeled as ‘unfit for military service’.
In some cases, fathers and unmarried fathers were able to receive deferment due to the number of dependent children they had.
Individuals who were opposed to all wars or opposed to participating in a particular war due to religious or ethical beliefs could be classified as ‘conscientious objectors’. Ministers of religion were also exempted from the draft.
Students who attended college or high school were initially deferred until the end of their studies. However, this was changed in 1945 and those who were enrolled full-time but no more than 24 years old had to register.
It was up to the Local Board to decide whether an individual met the criteria for student deferment.
In conclusion, those exempt from the draft in World War II included those with essential jobs, physically or mentally unfit individuals, fathers and unmarried fathers with multiple children, conscientious objectors, ministers of religion, and students.
Was there a 6 year old soldier in ww2?
No, there was not a 6 year old soldier in WW2. Every country participating in WWII had laws in place mandating a minimum age for military service, and in most cases that was 18 or older. If a six-year-old attempted to join the military, they would have been turned away.
However, there were some extreme exceptions. In Russia, the minimum age for military service was lowered to 16 in 1941 when Nazi forces invaded; this meant that some children only slightly older than six might have been allowed to enlist.
In Germany, some teenagers as young as 15 were allowed to join the military’s reserves as late as 1944. But even in these special circumstances, it is highly unlikely that six year old children were accepted into service.
Additionally, while there were not any officially enlisted soldiers that were six years old, there were many children who fought during the conflict. In the soviet union, these child soldiers were known as “Faldzens”, and were typically in their mid to late teens.
Others were children living near the frontlines—such as the White Bessie of Warsaw Poland—who joined the fight in order to defend their communities from German occupation.
All in all, while there were child soldiers during WWII, it is extremely unlikely that any were as young as six years old.
How old is the average ww2 vet?
The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors, including when the veteran entered the service and when they were discharged. According to the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the average age of a World War II veteran at the time of their death in 2018 was 92.
8 years.
However, the average age of a World War II veteran who was still alive in 2018 was 96. 5 years. This is because many veterans died in the years immediately following the war, leaving a higher proportion of elderly veterans in the population.
Of course, the age of a surviving veteran at present would depend on the age at which they enlisted. Generally speaking, the youngest enlistees would have been around 18 years old, while the oldest enlistees were well over the age of 40.
So, while the average age of a World War II veteran is not exactly known, we can say that the vast majority of surviving veterans are elderly, with many of them in their late 90s or early 100s.
Did soldier boy fight in ww2?
No, Soldier Boy did not fight in World War II. Soldier Boy is an American animated television series that first aired on Nickelodeon in 2003. The show follows a young boy named Max who is enlisted by The United and secret government agency to become a “Super Soldier”.
The show follows Max as he and his team of heroes fight evil and protect the world from monsters and evil forces. The show ran for three seasons before it was cancelled in 2006. Despite its popularity and success, Soldier Boy never was associated with the Second World War and its events.
Is anyone from ww1 still alive?
No, there are no more living veterans of World War I. The last veteran, Florence Green, died in 2012 at the age of 110. As of 2020, the war is over 100 years in the past and all of the veterans who fought in it are now gone.
There are, however, some people whose parent or grandparents served in the war and may be able to provide some personal accounts of the war and the lives of those who served in it.
Did anyone fight in ww1 and ww2?
Yes, many people fought in both World War I and World War II. More than 16 million Americans served in World War I, with over 116,000 killed in action. Like World War I, the United States mobilized millions of soldiers to take part in global combat during World War II, with over 16 million Americans in uniform.
In total, more than 420,000 were killed and more than 670,000 were wounded during the global conflict of World War II. As an example, General Douglas MacArthur served in World War I as a lieutenant colonel and in World War II as Supreme Commander of the Allied powers in the Pacific.
What was the minimum age of soldiers in ww2?
The official minimum age of soldiers fighting in World War II was 18, although underage soldiers were reported. Approximately 6,300,000 U. S. troops served during the war, with 273,000 killed and 672,000 wounded.
Of those, roughly 500,000 were underage, with many as young as 14 joining the army after being legally declared mature by a court. In addition, more than 1 million underage teens served in the Civilian Public Service, an arm of the Selective Service and a non-profit alternative to military service.
In other countries, the minimum age could vary: some parts of the United Kingdom required members of the Home Guard to be at least 17, while Free French forces could accept soldiers from the age of 15.
The U. S. S. R. and German armies reported having soldiers as young as 12 leaving for the front lines. As for lieutenants, the minimum age for promotion was 21.
Who was the youngest soldier at D Day?
The youngest soldier to land on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day was just fourteen years old. His name was Sidney Clover, and he was a messenger on a troop landing craft of the Royal Navy. Sidney was born in July 1929, making him just 14 years and 8 months old when he took part in the D-Day assault.
The youngster had lied about his age when he joined up, claiming to be 18 in order to serve his country.
Sidney was assigned to a landing craft assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division. He was part of the British troops supporting Canadian forces.
His landing craft was assigned to Juno Beach, and his main tasks were to pass messages from the beach to the ships beyond.
As the beach filled with machine gunfire and exploding shells, the former schoolboy bravely made his way to the shore. After successfully delivering messages to the ships and back, Sidney was later decorated with the War Medal 1939–1945.
He was left with lifelong physical and mental scars, suffering from stress related anxiety and nightmares for the rest of his life.
Sidney’s story is an incredible example of bravery, courage, and loyalty to his country. He is an inspiration to us all. His story will live on in memory of all those who served in the D-Day assault, and all military personnel who have defended our freedoms with courage and patriotism.
Are there any WW1 trenches left?
Yes, there are still some WW1 trenches left. The most notable example is the preserved trenches that remain at the World War I battlefields of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, and the Somme. These trenches have been preserved in natural and man-made state for people to visit and reflect.
Additionally, other sites that have some remaining elements of WWI trenches include Beaumont Hamel in France, Vimy Ridge Memorial Park in France, Lochnagar Crater in France, Hooge Crater Museum in Belgium, Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, and the Ypres Salient in Belgium.
These places have become popular tourist attractions for people to visit and gain an understanding of the history of WW1. Some countries have even begun to preserve their old trenches as a reminder of their wartime past and to educate future generations.