Former Gaylord resident helps to honor last WWI veteran in film
Frank Buckles, the last living American World War I veteran, died at the age of 110 Sunday, Feb. 27. Wanting adventure, 16-year-old Buckles claimed he was older so he could join the Army and participate in a conflict that was known then as the “war to end all wars.“Buckles survived the devastating conflict that killed an estimated 16 million people in the world. although he did not enlist in World War II, he was captured by the Japanese while working as a civilian in a Manila shipping firm. He spent over three years in one of their prisoner of war camps until he was liberated in 1945.those historical events were just two of the many the boy from Missouri encountered as he grew to manhood while traveling the world for 25 years. One former Gaylord resident has first-hand knowledge of Buckles’ adventures.Josh Stewart, a 1997 graduate of Gaylord High School, has spent the last year working with Grand Rapids filmmaker, David DeJonge, to create a full-length documentary about Buckles. The documentary is entitled “Pershing’s last Patriot,” a history of an exceptional man who lived in exceptional times.”“Frank has had some pretty remarkable experiences, and not just in the wars.” said Stewart. “One of my favorites is when he was in high school and worked at a bank. One time when he was left to close the bank, he locked the vault before he’d put the money in it. He decided to take it home and hide it under his bed until he could sneak it back into the bank in the morning. “When Frank arrived the next day, the bank was surrounded by police. He figured he was in a lot of trouble. It turned out that bank robbers had ridden into town on horseback the night before and blown up the vault door to get at the money. Instead of getting in trouble, Frank became a hero.”A few of Buckles’ other experiences involved being shipped overseas in World War 1 on the Carpathia, the ship that rescued Titanic survivors. He heard accounts of the catastrophe from crew members who’d been there. After the war, he got to meet a hero who had a major influence on his life, General John “Black Jack” Pershing. And before World War II, he spotted Adolf Hitler in a German hotel after the Nazi dictator had taken over the country. Buckles spent the final years of his life on a 380 acre farm near Charles Town, West Virginia. his wife, Audrey, died in 1999 and he is survived by a daughter. The body of the last “doughboy,” as American soldiers were nicknamed then, was laid to rest at a grave site in the Arlington National Cemetery.After graduating from Gaylord High, Stewart bounced around from college to college trying to decide on a future that excited him. When he realized he was not getting his homework done because he was too busy doing music videos and filming weddings, it occurred to him he’d already found his passion. He entered the Compass Film Academy and graduated in 2009.When Stewart joined the project to help document Buckles’ life, DeJonge had already spent three years working on it. Once they complete “Pershing’s last Patriot,” they have plans for future projects.“we want to continue to make historical films that educate and inspire Americans,” Stewart said. “David is really big on history. before I started working with him, I wasn’t really into history. now I love it.”The team is looking for funding to complete the documentary. anyone interested in history, art, filmmaking, or the military can donate by going to frankbuckles.org. Donations through that site are tax deductible. Gifts to donors may be available such as tickets to the film premiere, collectables, posters and t-shirts. anyone donating $5,000 or more may also get a screen credit and a presentation about “Pershing’s last Patriot” at schools of their choice. Information on the criteria for receiving a donor’s gift should be directed to Josh Stewart at
Trailer for “Pershing’s last Patriot”
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