91st Brigade Engineer Bn. drove all night to honor death of oldest WWII vet
By Kristine Froeba
Jan 17, 12:47 PM
Before dying at the age of 112, Lawrence Brooks held his 91st Engineer Battalion badge for the first time at the New Orleans VA hospital on Oct. 29, 2021. (Courtesy of Vanessa Brooks).
Family and friends remember Lawrence Brooks, who was the oldest surviving World War II veteran until his death on Jan. 5, 2022.
More than a dozen soldiers from Fort Hood drove through the night to honor the legacy of Lawrence Brooks. Other local units in the area vied for the privilege to provide the honor guard at the funeral of the previously oldest WWll veteran, but the 1st Calvary’s 91st Brigade Engineer Battalion claimed PFC Brooks as their own.
“When you Google or see the 91st Battalion mentioned in the news, it’s usually related to Mr. Brooks,” said Lt. Col. Patrick J. Sullivan, Battalion commander, 91st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division. “We’re here to remember him. We’re his unit and we wanted to take care of him; there’s such a bond between a trooper and his unit.”
Sullivan, one of 17 battalion members to drive to New Orleans, says they worked closely with the commanding general at Fort Polk and their Louisiana Casualty Assistance District and that they were grateful for a partnership that allowed the 91st to be in New Orleans.
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2022/01/17/91st-brigade-engineer-bn-drove-all-night-to-honor-death-of-oldest-wwii-vet/
