American Legion Post 29 honors 101-year old Army veteran

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — While Memorial Day is held to remember the fallen soldiers in battle, the American Legion honored one living veteran at their Zanesville Post this afternoon.

Commander of Post 29, Mike Watts, says that a member of theirs approached him about 101-year old veteran, Robert E. Wright, who served 19 years in the U.S. Army and National Guard.

“One of my members came up to me, it’s probably been about three weeks ago, and he says, ‘Hey I met this gentleman at The Cracker Barrel, he’s a Wold War II veteran, he’s 101 years old and he was wondering about becoming a member.’ And I’m like, ‘Well yeah, no problem. Bring him on down.’ Slowly but surely it came together and we decided, you know what, Memorial Day, that’s a good day to honor someone, you know 101 years old. That’s just amazing,” explained Watts.

Prior to his time in the Army, Wright had seven years experience in fixing office equipment. When they found that out, he says they sent him to Texas to help the Army fix their equipment.

“I was only in about six months. I had already had seven years experience in fixing office equipment. As soon as they found that out, they sent me down and had me do that. They couldn’t get there machines fixed so I could fix their machines for them,” explained Wright.

“They wanted me to stay under civil service but they were down in Texas and my family was here. I had three children and the 1st of December, anybody with three children was eligible for discharge and I was out on the 6th,” he added. Wright said multiple times though that he probably should have stayed.

Wright was born and raised in Pierre, South Dakota. He said his High School graduating class had only five people– four girls, and himself. He didn’t have two pennies to rub together so he and his brothers hopped on a freight train and road it all the way to Columbus, and then from Columbus to Zanesville. He said he could lay down in a boxcar and sleep and nobody would bother him.

Wright remembered one gentleman he served with named Curtis Reagan, from West Virginia. He said for three weeks he served as an acting Corporal, while Reagan served as an acting Sergeant of the platoon. Unfortunately, Wright says most of the people he served with or was friends with are no longer with us.

While not much into parties, and though he didn’t know many people in attendance other than his immediate family, Wright was appreciative of the celebration held in his honor today.

Wright was awarded with a membership to the American Legion Post 29 this afternoon, along with a certificate of recognition for his service. He will turn 102-years old in November.