Frank Buckles

"I didn't lie; nobody calls me a liar, I may have increased my age."

"I feel honored."

"An old sergeant said, if you want to get to France in a hurry, then join the ambulance service, the French are big for ambulance service."

"I had many different assignments and I was doing things that I thought were important... no, I didn't either: I didn't think they were important. But I found out afterwards when I read up on my history that some of the things that I did were quite important."

"I think General Pershing was the most military figure I’ve ever seen."

"I gave the general a snappy salute."

"I was gung-ho, no question about that."

"My job driving the ambulance was not very severe, you did what you were supposed to do. That was my main job."

"Why should I read something someone made up when real events are so interesting?"

"Longevity has never bothered me at all, I have studied longevity for years."

"If your country needs you, you should be right there, that is the way I felt when I was young, and that's the way I feel today."

"One day, I came in and she was on the telephone. She was quite pale. She told me that I wouldn't believe what was going on. She was being watched. She said she would not be able to invite me for tea again. She was a nice Jewish lady."

"Some of our German passengers on the ship would be crying. The Brits were the same way. They were crying, because they realized a new war was about to break out across Europe, with Hitler at the head of the goose-stepping parade."

"In the Philippines in those last months, it was perfect starvation. They had planned to starve us to death."

"I don't know anyone my age."

"When you start to die, don’t."

"We cherish the chance to say thank you in person to Cpl. Frank Buckles."

"Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times, and one way for me to honor the service of those who wear the uniform in the past and those who wear it today is to herald you, sir, and to thank you very much for your patriotism and your love for America."