Oldest known WWII vet to be honored nationally
Last Modified: Sunday, December 06, 2015 9:59 AM
By Justin Phillips / American Press
At 110 years of age, Frank Levingston doesn’t get on airplanes very often. He doesn’t normally get chauffeured around in a limousine. And he isn’t someone who encourages people to celebrate his life.
Since his birthday on Nov. 13, Frank’s normally quiet existence has been anything but. And Saturday, he continued being a man in unfamiliar territory.
Frank, who was born in 1905, is the nation’s oldest known living World War II veteran. To put his age into context, Theodore Roosevelt was beginning his first full term as president the year Frank was born, and the Wright Brothers had just completed their first flight of over 30 minutes.
Following his recent birthday, Frank was contacted by Washington, D.C., officials and invited on a trip to honor his military service. One of the highlights is a Dec. 8 visit to the White House. The invitation described it all as the “The Trip of a Lifetime.”
Frank’s military background included time as a private during the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943 during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
At around noon Saturday, Frank arrived to VFW Post 2130 in a white limousine. The stop was part of an official departing ceremony that drew a crowd filled with community members, veterans and local dignitaries.
As one of seven children who grew up in north Louisiana, Frank never married or had kids of his own. The family members who arrived at the event with him included his great-niece, Shannon Levingston, and his nephew, Joseph Levingston. Both were also traveling to Washington, D.C.
Shannon said Frank’s hectic schedule as of late is due to him “going from a local celebrity to a national one.”
Still, the change of pace hasn’t diminished the man’s sense of humor. As he waited in a back room of the VFW for the departing ceremony to begin, he was told by someone nearby that the crowd was looking forward to seeing how good looking he was.
“Well, they won’t be seeing much,” he said with a laugh.
An event organizer would pass by later and tell him that in an effort to conserve his energy for the journey, the ceremony wouldn’t last very long.
Frank nodded in agreement. Then he paused for a second and jokingly said, “Make sure it’s not too short.”
Mayor Randy Roach, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso and District Attorney John DeRosier all spoke during the ceremony. Each discussed Frank’s life and what it means to an appreciative Southwest Louisiana community.
DeRosier may have had the most poignant comments as he described how when he looks at Frank, he doesn’t see a 110-year-old man.
“I see a young black soldier in green utilities with worn combat boots, scampering across the sand on those beaches,” he said.
Frank would speak later in the event and described himself as feeling “humbled” by the outpouring of support. He mentioned his gratitude to the veterans in the audience as well.
“Appreciate the service of not only me, but all these other servicemen that sacrificed their time and some of them our lives,” he said. “You all don’t know how grateful I am.”
One of the veterans in the audience, 84-year-old Charles Finney, had arrived at the ceremony long before the bulk of the crowd. He said he didn’t actually know Frank, but he didn’t want to pass up the chance to show his respect.
“Frank is 110 years old, and he fought in World War II,” he said. “The man is a miracle.”
After the ceremony, Frank was led back to his limousine where Shannon waited near one of the open doors. She said the support from all over the country is unique to experience. It isn’t something the family could ever get used to, she said.
“For all of these people to not know him and never have met, to care so much, it’s overwhelming,” she said. “I’m just glad he’s present enough to be able to enjoy all of this.”
Frank eventually made his way out of the building and was helped back into his ride. The vehicle then turned out of the gravel parking lot, passed slowly under an American flag hanging from the extended ladders of a pair of fire trucks, and headed to the airport.
http://www.americanpress.com/news/local/20151206-oldest-wwii-vet
