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Lawrence Nathaniel Brooks Sr. was an American supercentenarian who had been the oldest known living man in the United States since the death of Irving Piken on 27 February 2020 until his death. In addition, he was believed to be the oldest living American veteran of World War II, the second-oldest known living World War II veteran in the world (after Mollie Walker) at the time of his death, and the third-oldest living man in the world.
Brooks was born in a family farm in Norwood, Louisiana, United States, on 12 September 1909. He was one of 15 children born to parents Edward Brooks and Julia Bailey. As a young man he moved to New Orleans where he worked in a laundry and parking cars before he joined the Army. He had three uncles who fought in World War I, and his brother was a member of the US Coast Guard.
Brooks married two times and had 5 children.
Brooks received his draft notice at the age of 31. He joined the Army in 1940 and did basic training in Mississippi. He served in the predominantly African-American 91st Engineer Battalion which was stationed in New Guinea and then the Philippines during World War II. Brooks attained the rank of Private 1st Class during the war. While he was stationed in New Guinea, the Japanese bombed the base where he was located.
After the war, he worked as a fork lift operator before retiring at age 70. He was evacuated to Los Angeles following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A little more than a year following the hurricane, he returned to New Orleans. His second wife died in 2008.
As a supercentenarian, he was still able to walk with the help of a walker (aged 110) and was lucid at the age of 112. He had 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Brooks died in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States on 5 January 2022 at the age of 112 years, 115 days.
On 27 December 2018, following the death of 112-year-old Richard Overton, he became the oldest living male American veteran of World War II, at the age of 109.
On 27 February 2020, following the death of 111-year-old Irving Piken of California, he became the oldest known living man in the United States.
On 12 November 2021, following the death of 112-year-old Kathryn Shelley, he became the oldest known living American veteran of World War II.
On 15 December 2021, following the death of 112-year-old Marcel Meys of France, he became the oldest known living male World War II veteran in the world.
Brooks in 1941. (Source: The National WWII Museum)
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