Mark Matthews, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetMark Matthews
American veteran of World War II and Buffalo Soldier
Date of Birth: 07-Aug-1894
Place of Birth: Greenville, Alabama, United States
Date of Death: 06-Sep-2005
Profession: soldier
Nationality: United States
Zodiac Sign: Leo 
About Mark Matthews
- Mark Matthews (August 7, 1894 – September 6, 2005) was an American veteran of the Second World War and a Buffalo Soldier.
- Born in Alabama and growing up in Ohio, Matthews joined the 10th Cavalry Regiment when he was only 15 years old, after having been recruited at a Lexington, Kentucky racetrack and having documents forged so that he appeared to meet the minimum age of 17.
- While stationed in Arizona, he joined General John J.
- Pershing's Mexico expedition to hunt down Mexican general Pancho Villa.
- He was later transferred to Virginia, where he took care of President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor's horses and was a member of the Buffalo Soldiers' drum and bugle corps.
- In his late 40s, he served in combat operations in the South Pacific during World War II and achieved the rank of first sergeant.
- He was noted as an excellent marksman and horse showman. Leaving the United States Army a few years before it was integrated, Matthews then took a job as a security guard in Maryland, rising to the rank of chief of the guards and then retiring in 1970.
- After the war, he told stories of military experiences and grew to become a symbol of the Buffalo Soldiers.
- In his later years he met with Bill Clinton and Colin Powell and also dedicated a barracks in Virginia in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers.
- Having experienced excellent health for most of his life, Matthews died of pneumonia at the age of 111 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
- At the time of his death, he was recognized as the oldest living Buffalo Soldier as well as the oldest man, and the second-oldest person, in the District of Columbia.
Read more at Wikipedia