Calvin Crane, a Roanoke man who died Sunday at 102, was believed to have been the last living son of a Confederate veteran in the United StatesThere are apparently five living daughters of Confederate soldiers, four living daughters of Union soldiers, and two living sons of Union soldiers. And don't forget the two living grandsons of President #10, John Tyler.
...
Gerald Via, a member of the Fincastle Rifles Camp 1326 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, confirmed that Crane was the last known living son of a Confederate soldier.
Calvin Crane led a life notable for reasons other than his Confederate kinship. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, earning two Bronze Stars for valor as he fought in North Africa and Europe with the 1st Armored Division. After the war, he moved to Roanoke to work for an uncle in the dry-cleaning business before joining the maintenance department of Roanoke’s main post office.
“He was the kindest gentleman you’d ever meet,” Via said. “He was a wonderful person. I didn’t even know he had been in World War II or earned the Bronze Stars. It was nothing he talked about.”
Rest in peace, Mr. Crane.
2 comments:
This puts the time of the Civil War in perspective, does it not? Not so long ago.
Such threads interest me. My great grandfather was born in 1899; i had the pleasure of his company for many years into adulthood. He emigrated from Germany to become a US citizen, but you can bet he had knowledge of first hand accounts of US civil war, maybe even of account's of Napoleon's rompings in europe. Time and generational memory is funny.
Post a Comment