WWI veteran Harry Landis dies

Comment Policy

Is libelous
Is abusive, harassing, or threatening
Is obscene, vulgar, or profane
Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive
Is illegal or encourages criminal acts
Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution
Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others
Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious)
Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises

February 06, 2008

WWI veteran Harry Landis dies

Harry Landis, one of the last surviving U.S. World War I veterans, died Monday in Sun City Center. He was 108.

Although both of his parents died in their 70s, Mr. Landis stayed healthy his whole life -- eye drops were his only medication. About four weeks ago, he developed a fever and didn't recover, said his caretaker, Donna Riley.

He was born on Dec. 12, 1899. He enlisted in October 1918 because the government was drafting. A month later, the war was over.

"He didn’t think it was a big deal, him being a World War I survivor," Riley said. "But when I would tell him, 'You're in the paper again,' you could tell he liked it."

About 4.7-million Americans served during World War I. In April, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs listed three known veterans: Landis; Frank Buckles, 107, of Charles Town, W.Va.; and J. Russell Coffey of North Baltimore, Ohio. Mr. Coffey died in December at 109, according to an obituary in the Washington Post.

Sign guestbook

Previous coverage: And then there were three (April 12, 2007)

- Stephanie Hayes, Times staff writer

Posted by tampabaycom at 2:30:20 PM on February 6, 2008
in Obituary | Permalink