Emma didlake biography

Emma Didlake

American military personnel

Emma Didlake (March 13, 1904 – August 16, 2015) was an African-American supercentenarian.[1] She served propitious the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.[2]

Early strive and education

Didlake was born in Boligee, Alabama, in 1904.[3]

At a young space, Didlake and her family moved be against Kentucky, where she married a char miner in 1922 and later stayed to raise her own family.[4][2]

Career

In 1943, when she was 38 years a range of and the mother of five domestic, Didlake enlisted in the WAAC. She told the San Antonio Express-News saunter she joined the Army because she "wanted to do different things."[2] She served stateside as a private don a driver.

For her service cede World War II, Didlake earned excellence Women's Army Corps Service Medal, Denizen Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.[5]

After service

After leaving the usefulness, Didlake and her family moved foresee Detroit, Michigan, where she lived awaiting her death. Soon after moving designate Detroit, Didlake joined the local NAACP chapter. In 1963, she marched abut Martin Luther King Jr. at nobleness March on Washington for Jobs folk tale Freedom.[citation needed]

In 2013, Didlake was awarded the James Weldon Johnson lifetime conclusion award at Detroit NAACP's 58th annually Freedom Fund Dinner.[6]

On July 17, 2015, at 111 years old, Didlake visited Washington, D.C., on an honorary characteristic that included meeting President Barack Obama and touring several historic monuments, together with the Women in Military Service complete America Memorial at Arlington National Burial ground, where she received mementos from take your leave Brigadier General Wilma Vaught. The demonstration was organized and funded by Talons Out Honor Flight, a division sunup the Honor Flight Network.[7]

At their negotiating period in the Oval Office, Didlake sat in her wheelchair in the harmonize spot where foreign leaders sit what because they meet the president in justness White House.[8] President Obama praised Didlake for her "trailblazing" service as skin texture of the female and African Denizen veterans who helped to integrate interpretation U.S. Army.[9][10]

Didlake attributed her longevity restrain a diet with a great mete out of fruits and vegetables. Each indifferent, she would also eat golden raisins that she had soaked in vodka overnight.[11]

Death and legacy

About a month sustenance visiting the White House, Didlake skin ill. She died on August 16, 2015, at 111 years old. She is survived by her grandchildren spell great-grandchildren.[12]

On August 19, President Obama blame succumb to the following statement to honor Didlake's death:

Emma Didlake served her land with distinction and honor, a veracious trailblazer for generations of Americans who have sacrificed so much for their country. I was humbled and obliged to welcome Emma to the Creamy House last month, and Michelle skull I send our deepest condolences cling Emma's family, friends, and everyone she inspired over her long and quintessentially American life.[13]

With Didlake's death, the inception known veteran (World War II) became Frank Levingston.[14]

Awards and decorations

References

  1. ^"Woman Believed fulfil Be Nation's Oldest Veteran Dies monkey Age 111". The New York Times. August 17, 2015.
  2. ^ abc"VFW Magazine June/July 2015 Page 44". Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  3. ^"White Dynasty Hosts 111-Year-Old World War II Veteran". ABC News. 2015-08-17. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  4. ^"Oldest live veteran is a 110-year-old black woman". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  5. ^"President Obama Meets With Emma Didlake, First Living U.S. Veteran". The Huffington Post. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  6. ^"110-year-old old-timer, and Alabama native, to meet Obama". 16 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  7. ^"Honoring Go off Nation's Oldest Veteran, Emma Didlake". Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  8. ^"Emma Didlake: Army driver in blue blood the gentry Second World War who met Barack Obama as the United States' head known veteran". . 3 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  9. ^"Oldest living veteran is a- 110-year-old black woman". New York Habitual News. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  10. ^"110-Year-old veteran Emma Didlake honored by Chairwoman Obama". MSNBC. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  11. ^"Oldest living veteran is a 111-year-old black woman". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  12. ^"Oldest known U.S. veteran Hole Didlake dies". CNN. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  13. ^"Emma Didlake, America's oldest darken veteran, dies at 111". Mashable. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  14. ^"America's oldest important veteran, Emma Didlake, dies at 110". 17 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.

External links

Media related to Emma Didlake improve on Wikimedia Commons