@Lloyd's paint & gl***, Obituary information for Vaughn P Drake Jr. Vaughn P Drake Jr. Obituary Drake, Vaughn P., Jr., husband of 65 years of the late Lina Wilson Drake, died April 7, 2025. He was born November 6, 1918 in Winchester, KY, son of the late Vaughn P. Drake and Margaret Willis Drake. He is survived by a son, Sam W. Drake, grandsons Anthony R. Drake (Crystal) and Patrick J. Drake, and three great grandchildren, Mya, Clara, and Henry Drake. He was predeceased by two sisters, Nell Drake White Dodd and Margaret Drake Parks. He attended the University of Kentucky College of Engineering, and was a registered professional engineer for over fifty years. He was employed by the General Telephone Company for thirty six years, retiring in 1981 as valuation engineering manager. He designed and supervised construction of all the underground telephone conduit placed in the cities of Lexington, Morehead, and Ashland in the 1940s and 1950s. He was author of the GTE Manual “Conduit Engineering for Telephone Engineers”. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, and was a veteran of the battles of Pearl Harbor and Saipan in the Marianas campaign. He has the esteemed honor of being the Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor in the United States. He received the special Congressional Medal for the Veterans of Pearl Harbor, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Medal with Foreign Service bar, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with two battles stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was a member of the Ins***ute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and was a charter member and past president of the Bluegr*** Chapter of the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers. He received the KSPE State Award in 1979 for “Outstanding Engineer in Industry”. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a former member of the Society of American Military Engineers. At one time he served on the professional advisory board of the Lexington-Fayette County Planning and Zoning Commission. He was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and received the Mayor’s Spirit of Lexington Award. He had been a Troop Committeeman for Boy Scout Troop 5 in Lexington, and received the ten year service award from the national headquarters of the BSA. He was a life member of the University of Kentucky Alumni ***ociation and a life member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors ***ociation. Visitation will be Thursday April 17, 2025 12pm-2pm at Milward Funeral Director’s Southland Drive, with military burial services at the Winchester Cemetery Thursday April 17, 2025 at 3pm. Pallbearers will be grandsons and nephews, Tony Drake, Patrick Drake, Barry Parks, Roger Parks, Reverend Bob White, and Denny Waldrup.
Respect to this man I did not serve, and "I hold my manhood cheap" as a result, to quote from Henry V For those that require an introduction or a refresher, here is my favorite bit. "...He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’ Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’ Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he’ll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember’d; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day." From Henry V, Act IV, Scene III
He was a member of the of the “ Greatest Generation “, as was my father! Late in my father’s life I took him to many of his military reunions. I have to admit, the very first one, I was not thrilled at the idea of hanging with these old gents! That was short lived, I was at my Dad’s house revving up the engine , ready to go to the next one! I got to meet so many great people, veterans. They talked some about the war and such, but mostly just wanted to cut up , tell jokes and drink a little and visit ….most were in their eighties/nineties at the time! I cherish the time I got to spend with these Heros. Most of them would deny that status and tell you they were just doing their job! But….the pride they put into doing that job was how they won the war! I’m sure Mr. Drake was one of these guys. Job well done Mr. Drake Bones
My father, were he still alive, would have been 99 last week. He was in the USN from 1942 'til the end of the war. Not only did he deny any notion of being a hero, he directed my brother and me to NOT have the Patriot Guard at his funeral and it was NOT to have any military presence. He said what so many others have said; that he "was only doing what needed to be done and that was a lifetime ago. Let it go." It's my loss that I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Drake. I'm sure it would have been a memorable experience.
That was my Dads at***ude , even about the reunions! He was more concerned about building the ranch , here in Oklahoma, than what happened in the Pacific. He was on the USS Enterprise, so you know he saw action! Then late in life he went to a reunion….had so much fun, he never missed another! Then I went with him….then I never missed one! We hosted the semi-final national reunion,in Tulsa , Oklahoma in 2010! Then went to New York City , in 2012 for the finale! He died after that, we buried him on Pearl Harbor Day, 2012, fitting end to a Navy man! Bones
Great soliloquy just before the Battle of Agincourt! That battle was one of the things I taught my students and in particular the battle conditions on that day. Was Big Will’s account 100% accurate? No it was a piece of national cheerleading but it is a great play. Sometimes when I’m working on a project it feels like the battle of a Agincourt!
I wasn't aware Mike, but i never watch the news or read the paper. That long black train is coming to pick us all up one day. Enjoy every day. I'm sure he had some good stories to share.
I agree with Mr. Lloyd , life each day to the fullest , make everyone a fun day . Do not sweat the small stuff . Tomorrow is another day , enjoy it as it’s your last . Mr . Bones many thanks to your father also , he was a great American also . If anyone has a chance to go on an Honor Flight , please do it . You will enjoy it and remember it all your life .
We're all just a little poorer when we lose one more of these heroes. May he rest now in eternal peace. We will never see another generation like his. God speed Sir.
Dave we were arranging one of those flights, I guess that is what you are talking about, to take my father to Washington DC. But before we could get it done, his health started failing him. He was the most patriotic man , I ever saw. He loved two things, life and his country! Just one short story about him. While he was in the Air Force, in the sixties, a junior airman came by our ranch to show him his new VW Beatle . I could tell my Dad wasn’t real thrilled about the car, the airman didn’t notice. After the airman left I asked my Dad what he really thought about it. He told it was a good car, but built in the wrong country! I asked , why? He told me that if folks keep buying foreign stuff, American workers will be out of a job! My father predicted this in 1961, he saw it coming! Well it’s here! If you came to visit, and drove a foreign car, he would make you park it out on the road! He refused to do any business if you drove a foreign car. He was a true American! Bones
Well who actually won WWII. The Allies or Axis? Judging from all the German and Japanese cars on the road I’d say the Axis... LOL
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