Lawrence Brooks, the oldest surviving WWII veteran, dies aged 122. He passed away on Wednesday, January 2, 2022. He died in his New Orleans home Wednesday morning.
The National WWII Museum confirmed his death in an Instagram post-Wednesday.
“The National WWII Museum is deeply saddened by the loss of beloved WWII veteran Mr. Lawrence Brooks, who passed away this morning,” the statement said.
“At 112 years old, he was the oldest surviving WWII veteran in the country. More than that, he was a dear friend, who celebrated his birthday with us every year starting in 2014, when he was just a spry 105-year-old.”
It added: “His consistent advice when asked for the secret behind his longevity was, ‘Serve God, and be nice to people.’ We are feeling his loss heavily today at the Museum, and we offer our condolences to his daughter Vanessa and his family.”
Lawrence Brooks served in a segregated Army unit in the South Pacific in the 1940s.
Lawrence N. Brooks was part of the mostly black 91st Engineer General Service Regiment, which built roads, hospitals and housing in places like Horn Island, Papua-New Guinea, and the Philippines, according to Military Times.
He was drafted in 1940 at the age of 31. He never saw combat, instead, he worked as a driver and cook for his officers.
Lawrence Brooks cause of death
The cause of Lawrence Brooks’s death is unknown as the National WWII Museum didn’t reveal this in its statement.
