Teddy Roosevelt was president when Emma Didlake was born in Boligee, Alabama, in 1905. In the 110 years since, Didlake served in the U.S. Army during World War Two and marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. On Friday, she visited with President Obama in the White House.
"We are so grateful that she is here with us today," President Obama said. "And it's a great reminder of not only the sacrifices that the Greatest Generation made on our behalf, but also the kind of trailblazing that our women veterans made, African American veterans who helped to integrate our Armed Services. We are very, very proud of them. That's why we got to make sure we do right by them."
Didlake is the oldest living veteran of the U.S. military. She was a 38-year-old wife and mother when she signed up for the Women's Auxiliary Corp (WAC) and served as an Army private and driver in 1943. She was awarded the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. After the war, Didlake joined the NAACP. She was part of King's 1963 Detroit march.
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