howeenterprise.com
Monday, January 7, 2019
Page #15
Texas History Minute Richard Overton, a Texas original and the nation’s oldest surviving veteran of World War II, passed away recently at his home in Dr. Ken Austin. In his Bridges later years, he was seen on local TV stations often, having grown up in a time before even radio or movies. He was an ordinary man in many ways, but his life and his outlook were anything but ordinary. Richard Arvin Overton was born in May 1906 in rural BastropCounty, just east of Austin. He was one of ten children born to Gentry and Lizzie Overton. They were a farming family, living modestly and moving from farm to farm in Bastrop and Travis counties. His great-great-grandfather was John Overton, a Tennessee judge, slave trade, founder of Memphis, and advisor to President Andrew Jackson.
Community College gave him an honorary degree to show its appreciation for Overton’s service. His story spread across the nation. On Veterans Day 2013, at age 107, Overton met President Barack Obama at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. He stood with the president, honoring his fallen comrades at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. It was a remarkable moment for the grandson of a slave who had grown up in a time when AfricanAmericans could not even vote or get a cup of coffee at a lunch counter to meet the first AfricanAmerican president. In 2016, at the age of 109, Overton became the oldest living veteran in the United States after Frank Levingston of Louisiana, a fellow army and World War II veteran, died at age 110.
Overton retained his razor-sharp wit and a remarkable vitality at a greatly advanced age. He was His father died in the 1920s. Now often asked the secret to his long married, Overton stayed on the life. He credited smoking cigars family farm in rural Travis County and drinking whiskey every day. with his wife to help his mother and He drove himself up to the age of help care for his youngest brother 110, often driving his elderly and sister. The two divorced in the neighbors to church, and awoke 1930s, and he moved into Austin to each day before dawn to see the pick up work at a local furniture sun rise. A spiritual man, he also store. credited God with the gift of a long life. “I am here because the In 1940, with war looming, the 34- man upstairs wants me to be year-old Overton enlisted in the here... He put me here, and he army. He was a skilled solider, decides when it’s my time to go.” earning an expert marksmanship badge and a combat infantry badge. On his 111th birthday, local His unit was commended for its reporters, knowing his fondness service in combat. Shortly after the for whiskey and cigars, gave him attack on Pearl Harbor in December a bottle of whiskey to celebrate 1941, Overton’s unit was one of the and asked how many cigars he first to arrive to provide relief and had smoked that morning. He bolster defenses in Hawaii. He laughed and said, “Three or four. would later serve in campaigns Y’all been holding me back, I across the South Pacific, including guess!” Guam and Iwo Jima. He was one of 16 million Americans to serve in His birthday became a community uniform during those years. He rose event with the City of Austin to the rank of Technician Fifth giving his beloved Hamilton Grade before his honorable Avenue the honorary name discharge in October 1945. “Richard Overton Street,” with the neighborhood throwing a Overton returned home to a nation block party for him. The mayor where millions of veterans shared proclaimed his birthday “Richard his experience. Proud of his Overton Day.” service, and proud that tyranny had been defeated, he settled into a quiet Eventually, the years started to life. Like many other veterans, he catch up. Noticing his increasing was content to have done his duty health problems, surviving family, and to fade into the background. neighbors, and local businesses raised nearly $200,000 to help In 1946, he built a modest wooden him continue to live on his own home on Hamilton Avenue in East with renovations to his house and Austin that he would live in for the funds to help Overton with his rest of his life. He married a second daily needs. He cared for others time, which also ended in divorce. and inspired that in others. He He never had children and outlived was hospitalized briefly in August all of his siblings. He eventually 2018, two months after he turned went to work for the Texas 112. He recovered and returned Department of the Treasury. home. In December, he was briefly hospitalized with As the years went on, and fewer pneumonia. And once again, his World War II veterans were left, the strength returned, and he was generation that had grown up released from the hospital. knowing only freedom recognized the importance of what Overton and Shortly after Christmas, he passed others had done in the war. As his away. The news quickly became years advanced, he became a local an international story, with media celebrity in Austin. Austin outlets around the world reporting
savored life, recognizing what a on his remarkable life. He was part of a remarkable generation of beautiful gift each new day was. Americans who won a desperate Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, war to keep the nation free and writer, and history professor. He independent. Moreover, for 112 can be reached at years, he awoke each day and drkenbridges@gmail.com.
