Emma Didlake

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Friday opened the Oval Office to a 110-year-old Detroit woman believed to be the nation’s oldest veteran.

Emma Didlake’s service is a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought in World War II or supported those who did, Obama said.

Didlake was a 38-year-old wife and mother of five when she signed up for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943. She held the rank of private and served stateside for about seven months as a driver.