Robert Ribakoff - Veterans Day. See notes.
Memorial Veterans Day Army
When my father, Robert Ribakoff, was 17 years old he had graduated from high school and he was working full time in a warehouse in Kansas City, MO. The United States was in the throes of WWII, and was facing a desperate shortage of soldiers. In ordr to fill this shortage, they lowered the volunteer age to 17 years. My father was excited because he, like so many other young men of his time, felt a strong sense of duty, and he was excited to enlist.
-David Ribakoff
My father announced to on of his coworkers, an older worker, beyond the age of military service, "Your not going to see me around here after today."
His coworker asked, "Why? Were you goin'?
"I'm going to join the army tomorrow," my father proudly proclaimed.
"You?," his coworker asked incredulously. Though my father was 17, he was small, and looked even younger than his 17 years.
My father alighted the recruiting bus the next day with a busload of excited 17 year old boys/ about to be men going to serve their country and save the world.
At the recruiting station they had all the recruits strip down naked and they handed spoons out to each of them. Without his clothes, and with the spoon in his hand, my father went from station to station and got prodded, poked , and and inspected each portal, crack, and crevice on his body. They measured his blood pressure, listened to his heart, and tested his sight and hearing.
After completing all the stations, he returned the spoon, put on his clothes, and returned home.
The next day my father reported back to work at the warehouse.
His friend asked him, "Hey, why you here? What happened?"
My father replied disappointingly, "I didn't pass. They wouldn't take me."
"Why not?"
day
My father answered, "Because I wear glasses"
His friend asked, "So what? What does that have to do with anything.?"
My father answered, as it was a matter of fact, "Think about it. What if a bullet hit me in the eye? It would break my glasses, and then what would I do.?"
His friend was not amused a
When my father, Robert Ribakoff, was 17 years old he had graduated from high school and he was working full time in a warehouse in Kansas City, MO. The United States was in the throes of WWII, and was facing a desperate shortage of soldiers. In ordr to fill this shortage, they lowered the volunteer age to 17 years. My father was excited because he, like so many other young men of his time, felt a strong sense of duty, and he was excited to enlist.
-David Ribakoff
My father announced to on of his coworkers, an older worker, beyond the age of military service, "Your not going to see me around here after today."
His coworker asked, "Why? Were you goin'?
"I'm going to join the army tomorrow," my father proudly proclaimed.
"You?," his coworker asked incredulously. Though my father was 17, he was small, and looked even younger than his 17 years.
My father alighted the recruiting bus the next day with a busload of excited 17 year old boys/ about to be men going to serve their country and save the world.
At the recruiting station they had all the recruits strip down naked and they handed spoons out to each of them. Without his clothes, and with the spoon in his hand, my father went from station to station and got prodded, poked , and and inspected each portal, crack, and crevice on his body. They measured his blood pressure, listened to his heart, and tested his sight and hearing.
After completing all the stations, he returned the spoon, put on his clothes, and returned home.
The next day my father reported back to work at the warehouse.
His friend asked him, "Hey, why you here? What happened?"
My father replied disappointingly, "I didn't pass. They wouldn't take me."
"Why not?"
day
My father answered, "Because I wear glasses"
His friend asked, "So what? What does that have to do with anything.?"
My father answered, as it was a matter of fact, "Think about it. What if a bullet hit me in the eye? It would break my glasses, and then what would I do.?"
His friend was not amused a
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