AUSTIN - Richard Overton, the world’s oldest living World War II veteran and Austinite, is turning 110 Wednesday.
Overton was born May 11, 1906, and lives in the same home he purchased after his service in World War II. He joined the military in 1942 and served in the Pacific as part of the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
"I'm really surprised, I really didn't know there was going to be this many people. I knew it was going to be somebody, but I didn't know it was going to be like this and I really enjoyed it," Overton said about his 109th birthday party in 2015.
Overton has been alive through 18 U.S. presidents including Teddy Roosevelt who was in office when he was born. Speaking of Roosevelt, just a few months after Richard was born, President Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower, Wyoming as the U.S.' first national monument. Roosevelt also took the first trip by president outside of the U.S. in 1906.
And some things that weren't around when Richard was born in 1906:
- The curtain rod and paper towels were invented in 1907.
- Candy apples - invented in 1908
- Skee ball - invented in 1909
- Hamburger buns - invented in 1916
- Sliced bread - first released in 1928
