Oldest World War II vet dies at age 112

Richard Overton, the nation’s oldest World War II veteran, died Thursday in Texas. He was also believed to be the oldest living man in the United States at 112 years old. The U.S. Army veteran was recently hospitalized with pneumonia and died at a rehab facility in Austin.

Overton was born in 1906. He was in his 30s when he volunteered for the Army and was at Pearl Harbor just after the Japanese attack in 1941. He served in the all-black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called Overton an “American icon and Texas legend,” adding that he was known for his kindness. Well into his 100s, Overton would drive widows in his neighborhood to church each week.