Richard Overton, The Celebrated Veteran

By Eloise Hewitt


The veteran is one of the few living individuals that took part in the Second World War.Richard Overton was born in 1906 in Texas, a place he has lived many years after he left the military.

The centenarian served in the army during the Second World War 11 and vividly remembers the horrors of the war and having seen many of his comrades die in the same war.He sensationally describes the war as horrible and recalls with profound joy their excitement upon coming back home from the battlefield . It however does not skip his mind the amount of sacrifice and commitment it took them to go back. The centenarian says it took both a mental and physical preparedness to go back. He however has no regrets for joining the army.

Overton has had a busy time making appearances across the country especially during the veterans memorial day. He has met very high profile figures. Among them was president Obama during an official tour into the white house. The president deeply thanked and praised him for his role in the world war 11.He has also had an opportunity to meet the governor of Texas.

Uncertainty however has rocked his role in the Pearl Harbor attack. Evidence that he was present during the attack still remains scanty. However information from the president and the US today suggest that Overton was present during the attack on the Harbor.

After his departure from the military, Overton took up a job at a furniture store and later on joined the department of treasury in Texas. His attention on the internet is attributed to his revelation that he would smoke cigars and drink whiskey-stiffened coffee during his memorial day. He however remains cognisant of the fact that a number of people would want to do something special for him during this day, but maintains that how he would love to spend the Memorial Day.

His service to his country was recognized by the mayor of Austin who described him as an extraordinary man.Overton took the opportunity to advise the young generation to become active in different physical activities instead of spending all their time watching.Together with his fellow veterans Overton has had an opportunity to tour the memorial of Martin Luther King. This visit was sponsored by Honour Flight. This is an organization that has and continues to facilitate the visits of veterans to different memorials as a way appreciating their significant contribution to society.

Honor Flight, an organization that sponsors the trips by veterans to memorials, sponsored the transport of the centenarian in company of other veterans to the memorial of Martin Luther King as a way of appreciating the contribution of these great men and women.

This memorial is however not going to be business as usual for this centenarian . All the friends his friends especially those from his platoon have passed on. The veteran admits that this for a number of times been a source of loneliness since he lacks a person he can talk to like he was used to with them. Richard has had two wives the last one having passed on twenty two years ago and has no children.




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