Hatrack River Forum: Last remaining WW I Combat vet dies at age 110....

This is topic Last remaining WW I Combat vet dies at age 110.... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

Here is a link.

Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :

Incredible. To see a world without radio, without cinemas, or widespread electric lights, without the theory of General Relativity, and to die in a world where humanity has launched probes out of our solar system, invented the Internet, landed on the moon and explored other planets- where we can wake up one morning in New York, and go to bed in Tokyo. Hardly a generation that was ever born could claim to have been witness to so much change.

Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :

Incredible is a good word for just the biographical facts of his life, juxtaposed with the times he lived in. I suspect there's probably a good story on its own merits, just as a story, on him as a person, though-he certainly sounds interesting. Enlisting not far into 14, and at serving in two world wars voluntarily-it sounds like there's a better-than-average-chance at a good story there at least. (Sounds a bit frosty of me, I just can't quite get over how strange it seems to me to imagine living through so much, imagining so much. It makes me think about how adaptable human beings are, and I wonder how much Mr. Choules was conscious of it-or was it something he just accepted, like we generally do of the things we get used to?)

Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :

I think what's mind-numbingly incredible is that since this man was born, the world population has quadrupled. I don't think any human lifetime before or any yet to come will top that.

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

I was amazed when I read this article, and am glad other people had some of the same thoughts thinking about his life. Amazing is just the word for it.

Posted by Jeff C. (Member # 12496) on :

Wow. I know it sounds like a messed up thing to say about it, but I am seriously glad I was not born back then. Just imagine what life must have been like. None of the cool things we have today were around, and life was tougher. Wars were bigger. And no Ender's Game! [Razz]

Seriously though, I look forward to experience the world over the next fifty years or so (I'm only 27), and to see what happens to the world. Of course by the time I get to be that old (if I'm lucky), guys my age will probably look at me and say the same thing. My, how the world does change.