Washington (CNN) - The family of Frank Buckles, the nation's lone living veteran of World War I, hopes he makes it to his 110th birthday about a month from now, despite troubling signs he is on the decline.Buckles, who was born February 1, 1901, is thought to be the world's oldest living war veteran. Buckles has slowed down considerably in just the past two months, according to his daughter Susannah Buckles Flanagan, who lives with him at the family home near Charles Town, in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. A family friend who visited two weeks ago says he is awake just a few hours a day.
"It has long been my father's wish to be buried in Arlington, in the same cemetery that holds his beloved General (John. J.) Pershing (commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in WWI)," Flanagan wrote, appealing for help from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia. "I feel confident that the right thing will come to pass."
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/29...ex.html?hpt=C2
Note: December 30, 2010 Updated 0256 GMT