Living Veterans Of WWI

Dear All,
Be on the look out for WWI vets. Many of you wil know of me and many may not. I have been tracking down and interviewing WWI vets now for ten years. Two years ago I began filming my interviews in hopes of producing a video based on their accounts. I had hoped to find vets from as many countries as possible that were involved in the war. So far I have interviewed germans, a russian, two Austrians, Brits, Canadians, Americans, Italians and Belgians.
Today I ask that you keep your eyes out for vets being mentioned in the local press, so that I might contact them and record their stories. I am sure i am preaching to the choir when I say that this task is important to the future generations.
Please feel free to contact me by e-mail, telephone or post.

Many thanks,

Kirk Goolsby
6772 Foster's Fork Road, #1
Warrenton, Virginia
20187 USA

telephone: (540)341-7878

kgoolsby@gmu.edu

P.S. Please feel free to save this entry. I will be happy to hear from you anytime in the future. I plan to continue this quest until it becomes impossible to find living WWI vets.

[leo]

The History Channel claims there are 7000 living in the USA.

Dear Kirk: Yesterday at 1400, I was present at the Castle Point VA Hospital, Poughkeepsie, NY, where Richard Duqué, French Consul, NYC presented the French Legion of Honor medal to Bertram Bringhurst, an American veteran of WWI. He celebrated his 100th birthday the day before. He can be reached through the hospital, phone: 914-831-2000, but I understand that he lives in Milbrook, with his son. Bertram was a 17 year old buck private, who fought with the Marines (112th Regt) in the Meuse-Argonne. The French Consul told us that there are about3,000 veterans left from the more than 4 million Americans who served in that war. Since the French government is seeking out other Americans to give the LOM to, you would have tremendous luck by contacting him in NYC, he might be able to help you in your project. Dr Paul Braim wrote a book about WWI called The Test of Battle. In it he mentions that hundreds of doughboys were surveyed about their combat experiences: he might be able to get the raw data for you. He was my instructor, at the American Military University, Manassas, VA; he also had a father who served in the 2nd American Division, and he teaches courses in WWI history. You're not too far from there; if you go, give him best regards from Bill Haiber. Please drop me a note at wphaiber@earthlink.net. Billy H/11/11/99.

[Frank_Olynyk]

There was a note in one of my local papers (either Cleveland or Aurora), about a 102 year old veteran, who trained as a pilot, but did not get overseas until after the war was over. He apparently served in Germany as a translator. Is this of interest to you? The newspapers were collected for recycling this morning, so I probably do not have the original any more.

Frank.

[Kirk]

yes I would be very interested in the pilot, Frank. If you can't find the address but know the paper. I can probably find the refernce for him. Any help is most appreciated.

Yours truly,

Kirk