Draft:William Pool

William Pool William “Bill” Pool (born January 13, 1925) is an American World War II veteran and the last known living son of a veteran of the U.S. Civil War. Pool gained attention for being one of the few remaining links between the Civil War era and the present through his father’s service and his own long life. https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/14/ozarks-life-wwii-veteran-is-only-son-civil-war-soldier-still-alive/ Early Life and Family Background William Pool was born on January 13, 1925, in Bolivar, Missouri, to Charles Parker Pool (born 1844) and Clara Bell Pool. His father, Charles Pool, served in the Union Army during the American Civil War with Company D of the 6th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. Because Charles lived until 1933 and fathered William late in life, William Pool is recognized as the only known living real son of a Civil War veteran. https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/14/ozarks-life-wwii-veteran-is-only-son-civil-war-soldier-still-alive/ According to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), he is the sole surviving real son currently documented in the organization’s membership records. https://suvcw.org/real-sons-and-daughters Military Service Pool enlisted in the United States Army in 1941, serving in Europe during World War II. He participated in the Allied advance through France and Germany, including the grueling Battle of the Bulge. During his wartime service, he was captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war before being liberated. https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/14/ozarks-life-wwii-veteran-is-only-son-civil-war-soldier-still-alive/ Later Life After the war, Pool returned back home to Missouri. As of mid-2025, he has been recognized by local news outlets and veteran organizations for his unique historical connection to the Civil War through his father’s service, as well as for his own status as a World War II veteran. https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/14/ozarks-life-wwii-veteran-is-only-son-civil-war-soldier-still-alive/ Recognition Pool has been honored by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War with membership as a real son, a designation for those who are direct sons of Civil War veterans. Such recognition underscores the rarity of his generational link. https://suvcw.org/real-sons-and-daughters References “Ozarks Life: WWII veteran is the only son of a Civil War soldier still alive,” KY3, June 14, 2024. https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/14/ozarks-life-wwii-veteran-is-only-son-civil-war-soldier-still-alive/ “Real Sons and Daughters,” Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War membership list. https://suvcw.org/real-sons-and-daughters

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