When did career soldiers who first enlisted in WWII start retiring from the Military?

[uplandmod]

I have an interesting question here. One of my USMC Forest Green tunics is from a USMC regular who in enlisted in WWII and made a career of it retiring from the military in the 1980's. How common is this and when did the bulk of WWII lifers who enlisted in WWII start retiring. Did anybody retire into the 1990's?

 

And just to throw this out who was the last personal who enlisted in WWII to retire?

 

I'm just curious what is the latest Militaria you own from a WWII vet who retired in the 1980's?

 

Did you know a WWII vet who retired from the military in the 1980's?

 

I think this is an interesting topic and first hand stories would be great especially if you were once in the military.

 

Thank You!

Leonardo

[bheskett]

If they stayed in then 1975 would be the last for thiry and out. It would be possible to get out then back in like a lot of guys are doing now, which would push the date back. I suppose some could have stayed for longer than 30 if they chose too.

 

Never mind I just googled the question.

 

Here is your answer

http://www.jacksjoint.com/fox.htm

[uplandmod]

Interesting I have never heard of the "30" before.

 

Thank You!

Leonardo

[Dave]

If they stayed in then 1975 would be the last for thiry and out. It would be possible to get out then back in like a lot of guys are doing now, which would push the date back. I suppose some could have stayed for longer than 30 if they chose too.

 

Never mind I just googled the question.

 

Here is your answer

http://www.jacksjoint.com/fox.htm

 

 

He had 29 years broken service though (1945 to 1974). I don't know what the retirement age was at the time, but the last year of anyone with WW2 service would have been around 1990 or so. That would be assuming joining at age 17 prior to 1 December 1945 and serving until age 62 in 1990. That would be 45 years of active service...not impossible, but really, really rare!

 

Dave

[uplandmod]

He had 29 years broken service though (1945 to 1974). I don't know what the retirement age was at the time, but the last year of anyone with WW2 service would have been around 1990 or so. That would be assuming joining at age 17 prior to 1 December 1945 and serving until age 62 in 1990. That would be 45 years of active service...not impossible, but really, really rare!

 

Dave

 

Very Cool information....I wonder how many are out there who stayed in that long! They must have had one heck of a career!

 

Leonardo

[uplandmod]

If they stayed in then 1975 would be the last for thiry and out. It would be possible to get out then back in like a lot of guys are doing now, which would push the date back. I suppose some could have stayed for longer than 30 if they chose too.

 

Never mind I just googled the question.

 

Here is your answer

http://www.jacksjoint.com/fox.htm

 

WoW! What a hell of a link and what a heck of a Sailor! Incredible story!

 

I'm sure he needed a third arm for all the hash marks!

 

Leonardo

[Dave]

WoW! What a hell of a link and what a heck of a Sailor! Incredible story!

 

I'm sure he needed a third arm for all the hash marks!

 

Leonardo

 

 

Except...he was an officer and didn't wear hashmarks... Even if he did, as I mentioned above, he had 29 years broken service as well... AND he was US Public Health Service (I know, I know, serving with the USCG, but he was still USPHS...)

[uplandmod]

Here is Earl Fox's retirement picture:

 

:salute:

[uplandmod]

Except...he was an officer and didn't wear hashmarks... Even if he did, as I mentioned above, he had 29 years broken service as well... AND he was US Public Health Service (I know, I know, serving with the USCG, but he was still USPHS...)

 

Ha! I know... :thumbsup: It was just the thought of it!

[Dave]

I would venture to bet that the longest serving active duty WW2 vet probably retired as a general/flag rank officer. The reason for this is because of the additional commissioned service allowed as an O-7 and above. IIRC, statutory retirement for an O-7 is 32 years commissioned service then it continues up (by rank) to 40 years for an O-10. Technically, someone who served as enlisted during WW2, and then made it to O-9 or O-10, would be able to have remained on active duty from 1945 to 1990 (assuming they joined at age 17).

 

Dave

[uplandmod]

Interesting....!

 

Thanks again Dave!

Leonardo

[swmdo]

Except...he was an officer and didn't wear hashmarks... Even if he did, as I mentioned above, he had 29 years broken service as well... AND he was US Public Health Service (I know, I know, serving with the USCG, but he was still USPHS...)

 

As you know all of their Physicians in the CG are public health officers. Can't tell the difference between them and Navy physicians. They all are pretty good!

[SKIPH]

Leonardo- Look up Gen John Vessey, I think you'll find his career interesting. Enlisted 1939, retired 1985. SKIP

[uplandmod]

Thanks Skip, that's the kind of info I'm looking for!

 

Leonardo

[SKIPH]

I met a US Army Reserve Special Forces Sergeant Major in 1985, who had 41 years of continuous jump status. He was the longest in the military at that time. He started out in WW2, I believe he had been in the 101st during the war. That was his last reserve assignment, (only 2 weeks), before he retired. I can't remember his name. He was a character. SKIP

[Jack's Son]

My Father went into the Marines at seventeen years old in 1942, he retired in 1964, a Master Sergeant.

[rr01]

Okay, he WOULD have retired if he had not died first but he made at least one combat jump into Europe in WWII.

Curtis, Raleigh D. (RD) ?-4/20/79 (USAF 51-79), (WWII), (Korea)

It was pretty cool to see him with that star on his jump wings on a USAF uniform.

[carbinephalen]

My grandfather was an "enlisted reserve" in 1942 in the South Dakota State University ROTC...summoned to active duty in 1943. He retired in 1982 as a Lt Col in the South Dakota National Guard.

 

40 years isn't too shabby!

 

It's funny because his retirement ribbon bar only had six ribbons. A soldier fresh out of basic has almost that many. Strange how things change over time!

[uplandmod]

Truly the greatest generation....

[doyler]

I knew a veteran who was an Alamo Scout in WW2,paticipated in the Raid on Cabanatuan.Discharged at wars end,went back to the Army in the mid 50s.Went SF.Tours in VN and then a Son Tay Raider.He retired in 1978 if I recall coorectly

[SKIPH]

Ron- Gailan Kittelson (SP)? He was CSM, of JFK Center, at Ft Bragg back in the 70's, as I recall. A lot of guys had long military careers because they stayed in the reserves or guard after active duty. My father-in-law, retired from the reserves, after I had retired from active duty. He joined in 1949, 2 combat tours in Korea, stayed active until 1962, joined the guard, then transferred to the reserves. Retired in 1992. I retired in 1991. Years ago it was real common to have senior enlisted (SGM/CSMs), with 30-35 years of active duty. It all depends on current DOD policy, they change max authorized service length on occasion. I think it's back up there again, cause I have former privates from the mid 70's, who are very senior SGMs now (they had breaks in service). SKIP

[Dave]

Ron- Gailan Kittelson (SP)? He was CSM, of JFK Center, at Ft Bragg back in the 70's, as I recall. A lot of guys had long military careers because they stayed in the reserves or guard after active duty. My father-in-law, retired from the reserves, after I had retired from active duty. He joined in 1949, 2 combat tours in Korea, stayed active until 1962, joined the guard, then transferred to the reserves. Retired in 1992. I retired in 1991. Years ago it was real common to have senior enlisted (SGM/CSMs), with 30-35 years of active duty. It all depends on current DOD policy, they change max authorized service length on occasion. I think it's back up there again, cause I have former privates from the mid 70's, who are very senior SGMs now (they had breaks in service). SKIP

 

 

Skip:

 

It's entirely possible...mandatory retirement is at 30 years of service OR age 62. So technically, you could have someone born in 1950 who is still on active duty right now...and that would have easily made them a private in the late 70s, and if they had broken service, they'd still be under the 30 years in uniform requirement.

 

They have waivers for age, depending on the job. The priest who did my wedding was retired at age 72 from the Navy (he just completed an FMF tour as a chaplain with the Marines, in fact...) and I think there are waivers for the top senior enlisted billets.

 

I'm not sure what the high year tenure was before 1991 (the last time they did a major change to it) and I don't know if it's different in the reserves due to the requirement for 20 qualifying years of service. In 1994, I ran into a guy in Oklahoma City who had just retired as a Navy reserve Master Chief. He had joined in 1952...so he had time for Korea as well.

 

Pretty interesting stuff...I'd love to see pics of some of these guy's uniforms! :thumbsup:

 

Dave

[hink441]

Master Chief Rudy Boesch did a continuous 45 year special ops career that started in April 1945.

 

 

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/awards-3189.html

 

http://premierespeakers.com/rudy_boesch/bio

 

[SKIPH]

I was at the USSOCOM ceremony in Tampa in 88'. I was in the formation, saw Rudy there, and wondered who the hell the old Navy guy was. Found out later on through"Survivor". He also had a short lived job as a narrator on the History Channel, forgot the show. I also heard rumors that during the First Gulf War, that they had a few WW2 Armor vets, as advisors for the armored assault, but can't verify it. SKIP

[Dave]

Master Chief Rudy Boesch did a continuous 45 year special ops career that started in April 1945.

 

What a STUD!

 

AND he was a Master Chief for 23 years...!!