America's oldest known veteran, Emma Didlake, dies at 110

Emma Didlake, a Michigan woman believed to be the oldest living veteran in the United States, died Sunday. She was 110.

Born in Alabama, Didlake signed up for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943. A married mother of five, she spent seven months serving in the U.S. during World War II, as a private and driver. Known to her family as "Big Mama," Didlake met with President Obama in the Oval Office in July, sitting in the same spot as foreign leaders who visit the president. "Emma Didlake served her country with distinction and honor, a true trailblazer for generations of Americans who have sacrificed so much for their country," Obama said Monday in a statement.

Didlake's visit to the White House was arranged by the nonprofit organization Talons Out Honor Flight, which covers the cost of trips for veterans to monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C. Her granddaughter, Marilyn Horne, told The Associated Press that after being given a short-sleeved shirt with the Talons Out Honor Flight emblem on it, Didlake said, "I don't have Michelle Obama arms — I'm going to need a jacket."

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