Charles Clifford “Cliff” Kayhart, W4KKP, of White Rock, South Carolina, died on October 26, a few days past his 109th birthday. An ARRL member, he was the oldest known US radio amateur and possibly the oldest ham in the world.

First licensed in 1937 as W2LFE in New Jersey, he also held W9GNQ. According to his obituary, Kayhart built his first radio at the age of nine. During World War II, Kayhart joined the US Army Signal Corps and he served at Iwo Jima, shortly after the US victory there, setting up equipment for long-range radio communication and broadcasting, with rhombic antennas in four directions.

Kayhart remained active on the air until shortly before he died. According to his obituary, Kayhart was also the oldest surviving Iwo Jima veteran and eighth oldest living US male. Source: ARRL