America's oldest veteran and the world's oldest person celebrated his 115th birthday on August 21, 2006 in the Puerto Rico town of Isabela surrounded by family and well-wishers.

Emiliano Mercado del Toro was a boy when the United States seized Puerto Rico from Spain in 1898.

He entered the U.S. Army in 1918 and was based in Florida for training as World War l ended.

Mercado was declared the world's oldest person by the Guinness Book of Records last year.

He is the oldest of 18 living World War I U.S. veterans identified by VA during the past year.

VA continues to search for World War I veterans in preparation for national recognition of America's remaining Doughboys.

 If you know of a World War I veteran in your area, contact Chris Scheer, VA Office of Public Affairs, at chris.scheer@va.gov.