America's oldest veteran still smokes cigars and drinks whiskey at 108

Meet Richard Overton, a 108-year-old who is still going strong despite being the oldest known U.S. war veteran. He does his own yard work at his home in Austin — which he bought for $4,000 in 1945, after returning from World War II — still drives, smokes a cigar each day, and occasionally still slips a little whiskey into his morning coffee. "It's just like medicine," he tells The Washington Post.

Overton spent last Veterans Day in Washington, D.C., where he was publicly honored by President Obama. This year he served as grand marshal of the Austin Veteran's Day Parade. As for being 108, he doesn't have any secrets. "You have to ask God about that," he told The Post. "He brought me here and he's taking care of me, and nothing I can do about it."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up