God, Whiskey, Cigars and Guns. WWII Vet Still Going Strong at 108

Richard Overton spent Veteran’s Day this year serving as grand marshal in the Austin, Texas parade alongside the mayor, another veteran. What makes Overton so special?
He is the oldest living male veteran in the United States. At 108 years old, this man from Texas rarely uses his cane to walk, is still doing his own yard work and driving widows to church every Sunday. He told a local TV station in an interview last March that he doesn’t take any medicine other than aspirin…and the “medicine” he puts in his coffee every morning. He told Fox News, “I may drink a little in the evening too with some soda water, but that’s it. Whiskey’s a good medicine, it keeps your muscles tender.”
Overton was born May 11, 1906 in Austin, Texas and served in the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion from 1942-1945. He served in Hawaii, Guam, Palau, and Iwo Jima, and was present at Pearl Harbor during the attack. In a 2013 interview with USA TODAY, Overton said, “War’s nothing to be into. You don’t want to go into the war if you don’t have to. But I had to go. I enjoyed it after I’d went and come back, but I didn’t enjoy it when I was over there. I had to do things I didn’t want to do.” Upon his return from service, he worked at a local furniture store and also in the state Treasurer’s office. He retired from the furniture store at the age of 65…the first time. He was hired and retired four more times before finally retiring for good. “I got near 100 and finally quit. They still wanted me back,” he chuckled.

The 108 year old still lives in the house he and his wife bought when he returned from WWII, though she passed away 22 years ago. He told Fox News that although he’s retired, he likes to stay busy trimming trees and helping with horses but says he never watches TV.
Thanks to Honor Flight Austin, an organization that brings Texas veterans to Washington, D.C. Overton was able to visit the nation’s capital last year, making a stop at the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial where he wept. “I’ve gotten so many letters and so many thank-yous and I enjoy every bit of it, but I’m still going to enjoy some more,” he said as he described the outpouring of support he’s gotten over the many Veteran’s Day’s he’s seen. Full article: dcgazette.com

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/god-whiskey-cigars-guns-wwii-vet-still-going-strong-108.html

he rocks!

Now that's a true Texas bad-ass