As of early 2025, approximately 66,000 American World War II veterans are still alive, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and related official sources
. This number represents less than 0.5% of the original 16.4 million Americans who served during the war
. The surviving veterans are mostly in their late 90s or older. The number of living WWII veterans is rapidly declining, with projections estimating fewer than 8,000 American veterans remaining by 2030 and around 300 by 2036
. The last American WWII veterans are expected to pass away in the early 2040s
. In the United Kingdom, estimates suggest under 70,000 British WWII veterans are still alive as of 2024, though the exact number is harder to determine due to record limitations
. British WWII veterans would generally be at least 95 years old today. The rapid decline in the number of living WWII veterans has prompted museums, historians, and families to urgently document their firsthand accounts and preserve their memories before they are lost
. Summary:
- About 66,000 American WWII veterans alive in early 2025
- Fewer than 8,000 expected by 2030
- Around 300 expected by 2036
- UK has under 70,000 WWII veterans alive as of 2024
- Last American WWII veterans likely to pass in early 2040s
- Urgent efforts underway to record their stories
