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Meet America’s oldest living vet. He smokes cigars, does yard work, drives and drinks whiskey. And he’s 108. Meet America’s oldest living vet. He smokes cigars, does yard work, drives and drinks whiskey. And he’s 108.
(35 minutes later)
Richard Overton, 108, is thought to be the oldest living veteran in the United States. But he’s as active as ever.Richard Overton, 108, is thought to be the oldest living veteran in the United States. But he’s as active as ever.
He begins his days with a tablespoon of whiskey in his coffee and smokes cigars daily, USA Today reported in 2013. “I drink whiskey in my coffee. Sometimes I drink it straight,” Overton told CNN. “I smoke my cigars, blow the smoke out — I don’t swallow it.”He begins his days with a tablespoon of whiskey in his coffee and smokes cigars daily, USA Today reported in 2013. “I drink whiskey in my coffee. Sometimes I drink it straight,” Overton told CNN. “I smoke my cigars, blow the smoke out — I don’t swallow it.”
He still drives his old Ford truck and a Chevy Monte Carlo, helping to transport widows to church, according to the Austin American Statesman. And he still does yard work.He still drives his old Ford truck and a Chevy Monte Carlo, helping to transport widows to church, according to the Austin American Statesman. And he still does yard work.
Reminder: He is 108 years old.Reminder: He is 108 years old.
One. Hundred. And. Eight.One. Hundred. And. Eight.
When asked the key to living such a long life, Overton said in May: “I ain’t got nothing to do with that. No, that’s God’s work. Yeah, but I think I’m gonna make it. I done made it this far, I’m gonna still make it on further.”When asked the key to living such a long life, Overton said in May: “I ain’t got nothing to do with that. No, that’s God’s work. Yeah, but I think I’m gonna make it. I done made it this far, I’m gonna still make it on further.”
Overton, born in 1906 in Texas, served in the South Pacific theater from 1942 to 1945 as part of the all-black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion. Upon returning from the war, he worked at an Austin furniture store. He told the Statesman that he first retired at age 65, but that he kept being asked to come back and was hired four more times. “I got near 100 and finally quit,” he said. “They still wanted me back.” Overton, born in 1906 in Texas, served in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945 as part of the all-black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion. Upon returning from the war, he worked at an Austin furniture store. He told the Statesman that he first retired at age 65, but that he kept being asked to come back and was hired four more times. “I got near 100 and finally quit,” he said. “They still wanted me back.”
He still lives in the house he bought when he returned from World War II, the Austin Fox affiliate KTBC reported in May, as Overton turned 108. (He paid $4,000 for the house, the station reported.)He still lives in the house he bought when he returned from World War II, the Austin Fox affiliate KTBC reported in May, as Overton turned 108. (He paid $4,000 for the house, the station reported.)
“War’s nothing to be into,” Overton told USA Today in 2013. “You don’t want to go into the war if you don’t have to. But I had to go. I enjoyed it after I’d went and come back, but I didn’t enjoy it when was over there. I had to do things I didn’t want to do.” “War’s nothing to be into,” Overton told USA Today in 2013. “You don’t want to go into the war if you don’t have to. But I had to go. I enjoyed it after I’d went and come back, but I didn’t enjoy it when I was over there. I had to do things I didn’t want to do.”
Overton traveled to Washington last year for Veterans Day and got to meet President Obama, who spoke about him at an event at Arlington National Cemetery. Overton spent this Veteran’s Day serving as a grand marshal of Austin’s parade, alongside Mayor Lee Leffingwell, himself a veteran. Last year, he traveled to Washington and got to meet President Obama, who spoke about him at an event at Arlington National Cemetery.
“When the war ended, Richard headed home to Texas to a nation bitterly divided by race,” Obama said in 2013. “And his service on the battlefield was not always matched by the respect that he deserved at home. But this veteran held his head high. He carried on and lived his life with honor and dignity.”“When the war ended, Richard headed home to Texas to a nation bitterly divided by race,” Obama said in 2013. “And his service on the battlefield was not always matched by the respect that he deserved at home. But this veteran held his head high. He carried on and lived his life with honor and dignity.”
Overton told CNN last year: “I didn’t think there [was] gonna ever be a black president. But it finally did happen.”Overton told CNN last year: “I didn’t think there [was] gonna ever be a black president. But it finally did happen.”
The visit with Obama wasn’t Overton’s first trip to D.C.; in May 2013, he came to the nation’s capital with Honor Flight Austin, a group that brings Texas veterans to Washington. Part of that trip included a stop at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where Richard wept.The visit with Obama wasn’t Overton’s first trip to D.C.; in May 2013, he came to the nation’s capital with Honor Flight Austin, a group that brings Texas veterans to Washington. Part of that trip included a stop at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where Richard wept.
“And the crowd that gathered around him wept, too,” Obama said last year, “to see one of the oldest living veterans of World War II bear witness to a day – to the progress of a nation – he thought might never come.’” “And the crowd that gathered around him wept, too,” Obama said last year, “to see one of the oldest living veterans of World War II bear witness to a day — to the progress of a nation — he thought might never come.’”
Overton is the cousin of the late Austin civil rights leader Volma Overton, who also served in World War II as a Marine and went on to become the longtime president of the Austin NAACP.Overton is the cousin of the late Austin civil rights leader Volma Overton, who also served in World War II as a Marine and went on to become the longtime president of the Austin NAACP.
Although Overton may be the oldest living vet, it’s not by much: He’s only three days older than Lucy Coffey, the oldest living female vet, who joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943.Although Overton may be the oldest living vet, it’s not by much: He’s only three days older than Lucy Coffey, the oldest living female vet, who joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943.
Coffey got to visit Washington over the summer, when Vice President Biden flirted with her. Coffey visited Washington over the summer, when Vice President Biden flirted with her.