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Last U.S. veteran of WWI to be honored

Posted on: Thursday, 29 January 2009, 14:50 CST

The last known U.S. veteran of World War I will receive an honorary flagpole to hang one of his hundreds of U.S. flags, a Michigan resident says.

Bob Heft of Saginaw, Mich., said he and a group of U.S. veterans will travel to Frank W. Buckles' West Virginia home to present the 107-year-old WWI veteran with a flagpole to use with his scores of honorary U.S. flags, the Detroit Free Press said Thursday.

I couldn't believe it when I heard that this man -- who's been presented flags by presidents and generals -- didn't have a flagpole, said Heft, whose 50-star U.S. flag design was accepted by Congress in 1960. I decided to help do something about it.

Heft said the flagpole will be presented to Buckles, a reported history buff, as a flag-raising ceremony on Saturday near Charles Town, W.Va.

He'll be able to read his books, look out the front window and see Old Glory flying, Heft told the Free Press.

Source: United Press International

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