Emma Didlake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emma Didlake
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Didlake meeting with President Obama in July 2015
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| Born | March 13, 1904 Boligee, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 2015 (aged 111 years, 156 days) West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps |
| Awards |  American Campaign Medal Women's Army Corps Service Medal World War II Victory Medal |
Emma Didlake (born March 13, 1904 – died August 16, 2015) was an amazing American woman. She lived to be 111 years old! She was also the oldest living American veteran of World War II when she passed away. Emma served her country in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.
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Early Life
Emma Didlake was born in Boligee, Alabama in 1904. When she was young, her family moved to Kentucky. In 1922, she got married there and started her own family.
Military Service
In 1943, Emma was 38 years old and had five children. She decided to join the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). She said she joined because she wanted to try new things. Emma served as a private and a driver, helping out in the United States during the war.
For her brave service in World War II, Emma received several important awards. These included the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
After the War
After leaving the military, Emma and her family moved to Detroit, Michigan. She lived there for the rest of her life. Soon after moving to Detroit, Emma joined the local NAACP chapter. The NAACP is a group that works for equal rights for all people.
In 1963, Emma marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This was a very important event in the American Civil Rights Movement.
In 2013, Emma Didlake received the James Weldon Johnson lifetime achievement award. This award honored her many years of hard work and dedication.
Meeting the President
On July 17, 2015, when she was 111 years old, Emma Didlake visited Washington, D.C. It was a special trip to honor her service. She met President Barack Obama and visited several historic places.
She toured the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. There, she received gifts from a retired general. The trip was planned and paid for by Talons Out Honor Flight, a group that helps veterans visit memorials.
When she met President Obama in the Oval Office, Emma sat in her wheelchair in the same spot where world leaders sit. President Obama praised Emma for being a "trailblazer." He said she was one of the first women and African American veterans who helped to make the U.S. Army more open to everyone.
Emma believed her long life was due to eating lots of fruits and vegetables. She also ate golden raisins soaked in vodka every day.
Later Life and Legacy
About a month after her visit to the White House, Emma Didlake became ill. She passed away on August 16, 2015, at 111 years old. She is remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
On August 19, President Obama shared a statement to honor Emma's life. He said she "served her country with distinction and honor." He called her "a true trailblazer for generations of Americans."
After Emma's death, Frank Levingston became known as the oldest living World War II veteran.
Awards and Decorations
- Women's Army Corps Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
