Honoring Frank W. Buckles and the World War I Generation — Historical Half-Staff Proclamation, 2011

Historical notice: this observance has ended. This independent FORTISVEX resource preserves a past presidential directive; it is not a government notice.

Remembering the last American World War I veteran

Frank Woodruff Buckles represented a living connection to the Americans who served in World War I. President Obama's Proclamation 8632 honored him as the last surviving American veteran of that war and extended the tribute to his generation of veterans.

An Army account of his burial records that Buckles enlisted in August 1917, served as an ambulance driver in France and Germany, and left the Army in 1920 with the rank of corporal. In later life, he worked to keep the memory of World War I service alive. He died on February 27, 2011, at age 110.

On March 15, the Army reported that Buckles was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. His burial in Section 34, near General John J. Pershing's gravesite, connected the farewell to the history of the American Expeditionary Forces. The tribute marked both an individual life and the passing of a generation.

The interment-day flag observance

The proclamation ordered half-staff display on the day of Buckles' interment until sunset. It named the White House, public buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations, and federal naval vessels in the District of Columbia, throughout the United States, and in its territories and possessions. The same period covered United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

The proclamation itself did not print the interment's calendar date. The Army's burial report independently establishes March 15, 2011. Together, these sources identify the historical observance as March 15 until sunset; they do not turn the February 28 formal proclamation date or March 3 Federal Register publication into the half-staff day. No numerical start time was specified.

Full official proclamation text

Proclamation 8632 of February 28, 2011 — Death of Army Corporal Frank W. Buckles, the Last Surviving American Veteran of World War I
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

As a mark of respect for the memory of Army Corporal Frank W. Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, and in remembrance of the generation of American veterans of World War I, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that, on the day of his interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day. I further direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

Official federal proclamation text from Federal Register page 11935. Page headings and line wrapping are omitted for readability; the signature is represented by the name above.

Verify the official documents

Read or download the official proclamation PDF from GovInfo · Read the Federal Register record

Biographical and interment evidence: U.S. Army report, “Last doughboy's burial marks end of era,” dated March 15 and published March 16, 2011.

Find related historical directives in the Presidential Half-Staff Archive.

Signature page from the official published proclamation

Select the published page to open the official PDF.

Preparing a remembrance display

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