The man believed to be the oldest man in the United States, who was a World War II veteran, died in New Orleans on Wednesday at the age of 112.
In this September 12, 2019, file photo, World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks holds a photo of himself. This file photo shows Gerald Herbert.
The Associated Press.
The World War II Museum said they were feeling his loss.
He was the oldest American World War II veteran since Richard Overton died at the age of 112.
At the age of 31, he was drafted into the U.S. Army after being born into a family of 15 children.
According to the World War II Museum, a black man named Brooks was a cook and cleaner for white officers in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines.
The World War II Museum says he is survived by five children, 13 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
When asked how to live a long life, Brooks said to serve God and be nice to people.
The key background.
Only a small fraction of Americans who served in the military during World War II are still alive, with the youngest living veterans now in their 90's. The number of World War II veterans in the U.S. is declining. About 234 people die every day. The Department of Veterans Affairs expects the number of WWII veterans to fall from 100,000 to 50,000 by the year 2020.
The 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was celebrated in the U.S. The U.S. entered World War II as a result of Japan's attack on the naval base. There are photos of the event here.
The US commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
