Mourners pay their respects to last WWI veteran

WASHINGTON -- Wearing a black POW-MIA beret and a vest emblazoned with "Vietnam Veteran," Charles D. White stood and saluted the flag-draped casket holding the body of Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of World War I.

White, who walks with a cane, then turned around stiffly and marched away.

Buckles will be buried Tuesday with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Visitations were being held Sunday and today at Joseph Gawler's Sons Chapel in Washington, and starting Tuesday morning, Buckles' body will lie in repose at the cemetery's memorial amphitheater.

Born in Missouri and raised in Oklahoma, Buckles enlisted in the Army at 16 after lying about his age. He died last month at his home in Charles Town, W.Va., at age 110.

A slow but steady stream of friends, veterans and others filed past Buckles' casket Sunday afternoon. His relatives were not there.

White and two friends, Donna Collis and Marvin A. Stickel, drove to the visitation from Martinsburg, W.Va. They are planning a candlelight vigil later this month to raise money for Buckles' daughter to use for memorial efforts.

Buckles' daughter, Susannah Flanagan, had wanted her father to lie in repose in the U.S. Capitol, but Congress failed to approve that plan as politicians clashed over how best to honor Buckles and the 4.7 million other Americans who served in WWI. A family spokesman has said the family is satisfied with the honors at Arlington.

Only two WWI veterans are known to survive worldwide.