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Last surviving United States war veterans

This is an incomplete list of the last surviving veterans of American wars. Exactly who is the last surviving veteran is often an issue of contention, especially with records from long-ago wars. The "last man standing" was often very young at the time of enlistment and in many cases had lied about his age to gain entry into the service, which confuses matters further.

17th century

American Indian Wars (1622–1774)

18th century

French and Indian War (1754–1763)

  • John Owen (1741–1843) Ã¢Â€Â“ British Army. Enlisted in 1758. Also fought in the Revolutionary War.
  • Jonathan Benjamin (1738–1841) Ã¢Â€Â“ British Army. Also fought in the Revolutionary War.

American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

  • Daniel Frederick Bakeman (1759–1869) Ã¢Â€Â“ Continental Army. Last veteran drawing a pension awarded by Congress; granted a pension in 1867 even though he could not prove his service.
  • John Gray (1764–1868) Ã¢Â€Â“ Continental Army. Last verifiable veteran. Served at Yorktown. Six month service period was too short to qualify for pension. Granted a pension in 1867.
  • James Robinson (1753–1868) Ã¢Â€Â“ Continental Army. Last African American veteran. Served at Yorktown and Brandywine. Awarded Gold Medal of Valor.
  • Lemuel Cook (1759–1866) Ã¢Â€Â“ Continental Army. Last cavalryman. Served with the 2nd Light Dragoons.
  • Elijah Churchill (1755–1841) Ã¢Â€Â“ Continental Army. Last Badge of Military Merit recipient.
  • William Richardson (1765–1873) Ã¢Â€Â“ Claimed to have served in an Ohio militia and in a Continental Line.

American Indian Wars (1775–1924)

Shays's Rebellion (1786–1787)

Whiskey Rebellion (1791–1794)

19th century

War of 1812 (1812–1815)

  • Hiram Cronk (1800–1905) Ã¢Â€Â“ New York Militia.
  • James Hooper Jr. (1804–1898) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Navy. Served on the schooner during the Battle of Baltimore.
  • Aaron Stafford (1787–1885) – Major, New York Militia. Last surviving veteran of the War of 1812 known to have held an officer's commission. Wounded at Battle of Queenston Heights.

Toledo War (1835–1836)

  • Lewis W. Pearl (1815–1914) Ã¢Â€Â“ Michigan State Militia. Later served in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War.

Texas Revolution (1835–1836)

  • William Physick Zuber (1820–1913) Ã¢Â€Â“ Texian Army.

Dorr Rebellion (1841–1842)

  • Wanton Briggs (1821–1923) Ã¢Â€Â“ Rhode Island State Militia. Last "Charterite".

Bear Flag Revolt (1846)

Mexican–American War (1846–1848)

  • Owen Thomas Edgar (1831–1929) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Navy. Served on and .
  • William Fitzhugh Buckner (1828–1929) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army. Fought at Taos.

Bleeding Kansas (1854–1861)

American Civil War (1861–1865)

Korean Expedition (1871)

Spanish–American War (1898)

  • Jones Morgan (1882–1993) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army. Claimed to have served in the 9th Cavalry.
  • Jasper Garrison (1880–1987) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army. Last verified veteran.
  • Jesse D. Langdon (1881–1975) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army. Last member of the Rough Riders.
  • John Davis (1877–1970) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Navy. Served on . Last Medal of Honor recipient.

Second Samoan Civil War (1898–99)

Banana Wars (1898–1934)

Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901)

Philippine–American War (1899–1902)

  • Nathan E. Cook (1885–1992) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Navy. Served on . Also served in Boxer Rebellion.
  • Walter Pleate (1876–1985) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army.
  • John Thomas Kennedy (1885–1969) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army. Last Medal of Honor recipient.

20th century

Border War (1910–1919)

  • Samuel Goldberg (1900–2006) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Cavalry.

World War I (1914–1918)

Pancho Villa Expedition (1916–1917)

  • Mark Matthews (1894–2005) Ã¢Â€Â“ U.S. Army.

Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War (1918–1925)

American and other Allied forces were involved in the Polar Bear Expedition which began during World War I and continued into the Russian Civil War

Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)

World War II (1939–1945)

Korean War (1950–1953)

See also

Notes

References

Further reading