The United States just lost another legend this Thursday. Richard Overton, who was the nation’s oldest man and world’s oldest living World War II vet, passed away at age 112.

Mr. Overton was born in Texas in May of 1906. He enlisted in the army in 1940 during segregation and was part of the 1887^th Aviation Engineer Battalion, an all-black military unit. He served in Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, and was a skilled sharpshooter.

In 2013, he was honored by President Obama during a Veterans Day event for his service but said in interviews that he “forgot all that stuff” about the war, wanting to leave it behind. After leaving the military, Mr. Overton bought a house in Austin, Texas and lived there ever since.

He was known for saying that the keys to his longevity were God, whiskey, and smoking 12 to 13 cigars a day. He also had ice cream every night because, “It makes me happy.”  He told CNN:

“I drink whiskey in my coffee. Sometimes I drink it straight. I smoke my cigars, blow the smoke out; I don’t swallow it.”

Beloved by the people of Texas, – and very much so in Austin – part of Mr. Overton’s street was named after him and he was a fixture at the Veterans Day parade. Among the kind accolades being dedicated to him, Governor Greg Abbott said this:

“Richard Overton is an American icon and a Texas legend. With his quick wit and kind spirit he touched the lives of so many, and I am deeply honored to have known him. Richard Overton made us proud to be Texans and proud to be Americans. We can never repay Richard Overton for his service to our nation and for his lasting impact on the Lone Star State. On behalf of Texas, Cecelia and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.”

According to a family member, Mr. Overton passed away from pneumonia. In his last years, he could be seen driving around in his pickup truck and going to church every Sunday.