Harold Ford Gardner was a veteran of the First World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, although he served for less than 24 hours in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

.

Gardner was born in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

 and enlisted for military duty in 1918. He was on a train ready to go to a boot camp on 11 November 1918, the day the armistice was signed, when he was ordered off by an officer. Gardner received a $1 check for one day's pay.

This is only one of hundreds of stories from Harold's long life. He was a master mechanic and machinist who worked for IBM

IBM

International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...

, Endicott Johnson, City of Binghamton, and Link Aviation as well as Pratt-Whitney during the Second World War

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, troubleshooting aircraft engines. He loved to work on antique cars, clocks and guns, and could often be found in his workshop making replacement parts when none could be obtained.

He died in Sayre

Sayre, Pennsylvania

Sayre is the largest borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Scranton. In the past, various iron products were made there. In 1900, 5,243 people lived there; in 1910, 6,426 people lived there, and in 1940, 7,569 persons made their homes in Sayre. The population was 5,813 at the 2000...

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See also

• Veterans of World War I who died in 2006

External links

• "Train duty", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, November 11, 2005
• "Man, 107, a passionate pioneer Gardner was last World War I veteran in Pennsylvania", Press and Sun-Bulletin, Greater Binghamton
  Greater Binghamton
  The Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area, also called Greater Binghamton, is a region of southern upstate New York in the Northeastern United States, anchored by the city of Binghamton...
  
  , New York
  New York
  New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
  
  , October 20, 2006
• His obituary
• "Doughboy for a day", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 21, 2006