Richard Overton, the United States’ oldest living veteran died at the age of 112 on Thursday night.
Overton passed away in a rehab facility in Austin, in his home state of Texas, according to reports. Just last week, The supercentenarian and World War II Army veteran was admitted to a local hospital following a bout with pneumonia. (RELATED: Oldest US Army Veteran Set To Hit 111 Knee-Deep In Cigars)
Sad news to report tonight:
Richard Overton, the oldest World War II veteran, has passed away.
His family said they were with him, and told him how much they loved him and thanked him for being such a good man.
Mr. Overton was 112 years old. pic.twitter.com/sEfTfTnZ8j— Quita Culpepper (@QuitaC_KVUE) December 28, 2018
Overton enlisted in the U.S. military in September of 1940, a little over a year before America’s involvement in the Second World War began. During the war, he was a member of the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion, a segregated unit within the Army.
Overton was honored for his service by President Obama during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in 2013.
Before his death, Overton still resided in the same Austin house he built 72 years ago.
Overton was reportedly surrounded by his family at the time of his passing.