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Frank Levingston was an American supercentenarian and the second-oldest military veteran in the United States. At the time of his death in 2016, he was the oldest living man in the United States and the oldest verified surviving American veteran of World War II.
Levingston was born in Cotton Valley, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA, on 13 November 1905. He was the fourth of seven children born to Frank Levingston Sr. (1879-1919) and Ida Greenard (1880-1916). Alongside his younger siblings, he helped maintain approximately 200 acres of land acquired by his parents. Tragically, he lost both parents at a young age — his mother when he was 11, and his father at 13. After their deaths, he worked at a gas station in Cotton Valley to support his siblings before later moving to Galveston, Texas, to work in a shipyard.
Introduced to Christianity by his parents during childhood, he later expressed doubts, saying he could not see “how the religion of Christianity connected with nature.”
In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a private during World War II, participating in the Allied invasion of Italy from September 1943 to January 1944. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1945, he became a union worker specializing in cement finishing.
He never married or had children, explaining that although he once came close to marrying, he ultimately decided against it because his construction work demanded so much of his time. Over the years, he traveled to Rome, Italy, and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In the late 1950s, he converted to Islam under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad, adopting the Muslim name Frank Mukmim.
One of his favorite hobbies was hunting with his rifle. In 1981, he moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he lived for the next 35 years. Remarkably, he continued driving until the age of 105.
In 2015, he relocated to the North Louisiana Veterans Home in Bossier City. That November, he traveled to Washington, D.C., after receiving an invitation to visit the White House. While he described the trip as enjoyable, he expressed disappointment that he did not have the opportunity to meet President Barack Obama.
Levingston died in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, on 3 May 2016, at the age of 110 years, 172 days.
Levingston became the oldest recognized living military veteran in United States following the death of Emma Didlake on 16 August 2015. He became the oldest living man in the United States following the death of Felix Simoneaux on 19 April 2016.
Upon his passing, Clarence Matthews succeeded him as the oldest known living man in the United States.
His age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 23 February 2023.
* “Frank Livingston, at Age 105, Still Committed to Five Principles of Al Islam – Muslim Journal, 28 January 2012
* “Remembering the life of Frank Levingston” – Minden Press-Herald, 10 May 2016
As a young man. (Source: Timenote)
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