| Maximiano Jose dos Santos | |
 | |
| Birth: | 22 February 1893 Bom Conselheiro, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Death: | 25 April 2006 Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil |
| Age: | 113 years, 62 days |
| Country: |  BRA
|
| Unvalidated | |
Lieutenant Maximiano Jose dos Santos (Portuguese: José; 22 February 1893 – 25 April 2006) was a Brazilian supercentenarian whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography[]
Maximiano Jose dos Santos was born in Bom Conselheiro, Pernambuco, Brazil on 22 February 1893. In 1913, at the age of 20, he volunteered and was hired by the Captaincy of the Ports of Alagoas as a 3rd Class Sailor. In 1917, he definitively engaged in the Navy as a Stoker.
During the World War I, serving in the Naval Division in War Operations, he made several supply trips to the Allied countries, aboard the São Paulo Battleship, from where he landed to serve in the American Navy, initially in the Nebraska Coupé, in "South Carolina".
In 1919, he was promoted to 2nd Class Sailor and, in 1921, the 1st Class Sailor, returning to Rio de Janeiro to embark on the Amazon Destroyer. In 1922, he moved to Ladario, serving on board the Oiapoque Notice. When being promoted to Cabo, in 1925, embarked in Monitor Pernambuco. In 1926, he returned to Rio de Janeiro to study. He was promoted to 3rd Sergeant in 1929, 2nd Sergeant in 1930 and 1st Sergeant in 1933. In that same year, he was awarded the Silver Medal for 20 years of relevant services rendered.
On 22 November 1934, he was awarded the "Victory Medal" and the "Campaign Cross" for his achievements in World War I.
In 1936, he obtained promotion to Petty Officer. Appointed to serve in the Mato Grosso Flotilla, he presented himself, in February 1937, as in charge of machinery at the Tugboat Sales de Carvalho and, in October 1938, as driver of machines onboard the Parnaiba Monitor. The ship sailed to Salvador in April 1943 because of its transfer to the Eastern Naval Command in order to perform escort missions to Allied convoys and port patrol during the World War II. For his actions in this conflict, he was awarded the "Two-Star War Service Medal".
It should be noted that in March 1944, the then Subo Oficial Maximiano was praised, and deserved record in the log book, for the act of bravery, determination and courage for being the first to enter the Caldeira Square of the Parnaiba Monitor, which burned in flames, in order to quell the fire that broke out in that place as he sailed on the escort service to merchant ships joining a convoy.
In 1945, he returned with the ship to the Flotilla of Mato Grosso, in Ladario. In 1946, he went to the Reserved Reservation as 2nd Lieutenant, counting more than 30 years of service, and in 1952, he was promoted to the position of 1st Lieutenant, being Reformed in 1953. For most of his life, he served in the area of the 6th Naval District Command, becoming a symbol for the region, having received the titles of "Citizen Ladarense", "Citizen Corumbaense" and "Citizen" Sulmato-grossense.
For all its qualities, Lieutenant Maximiano himself offered a single explanation: "Everything I know and everything I am, I owe to the Navy. The Brazilian Navy was my second mother, and I left it, looking back. today the Navy would call me, I would come back with great pride and start over again."
His son Platao Capurro dos Santos died in June 2019 at the age of 88.
Maximiano Jose dos Santos died in Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil on 25 April 2006 at the age of 113 years, 62 days. If verified, he would have been the oldest Brazilian veteran, the second-oldest living Brazilian man, and the third-oldest living man in the world (behind Emiliano Mercado del Toro and Anisio Rodrigues Alves) at the time of his death.
Gallery[]
References[]
- Primeiro-Tenente Maximiano José dos Santos Nome Naval
- SOCIEDADE AMIGOS DA MARINHA de Campinas DocPlayer
- Marinha homenageia seu ícone pantaneiro, o tenente Maximiano Corumbá, 23 February 2011
- O GRANDE HEROI TENENTE MAXIMIANO JOSE DOS SANTOS E SUA ESPOSA SONA MACEDÔNIA, CONHECIDOS POR QUASE TODOS OS LADARENSES Selma Regina Homs Dias on Facebook, 16 August 2012
- Marinha reinaugura sala de memória em homenagem ao "Desbravador do Mar" Diarionline, 21 February 2014
- Em 25 de abril de 2006 o nosso vô Maximiano nos deixou, após 113 anos de uma vida dedicada ao bem Antonio Sabatel on Facebook, 25 April 2015
- Ladarense filho de ex-combatente da 1ª e 2ª Guerra morre aos 88 anos em Campo Grande Folha MS, 18 June 2019