"long service" guys

[patches]

I used to have a late 1983 Reserve Magazine, November?, got them when they were mailed to me free of charge for awhile when I briefly joined a actively drilling Reserve unit at Brooklyn's Floyd Bennet Fields Ernie Pyle Reserve Center (HHC 411th Eng Bde (Sep). In this particular issue was a artical on a 100th Inf Div combat Infantry vet who was then, 83 still in service in the reserves, a CWO 4 in the NYC based 77th ARCOM, he was foto-ed at his desk in BDUs with the 100th Div as combat patch, the CIB being visible above the U.S. ARMY tape, too bad I don't have this magazine no more, I would of definitely scanned the foto of him to share.

[B229]

My father served 37 years in the Army and Army Reserve, and he actually almost served longer. He graduated high school in May 1945 and was drafted a couple months later. Lucky for him, the war ended, so when he showed up at the induction center, they told him to go home. He was drafted again in the summer of 1950 and entered the Army in September. He spent two years on active duty from 1950-1952, including time on Okinawa with his AAA Bn. He came home and joined the Reserves and retired in 1987 as an E9. He started in the "brown shoe Army" wearing Ike Jackets and HBT's and ended wearing BDU's and Army greens.

[blitz67]

I know the last active duty WWII vet retired in 1999! He was in the Coast Guard

[PaulR]

I know the last active duty WWII vet retired in 1999! He was in the Coast Guard

 

I was there for his retirement... he was actually Public Health Service, attached to the Coast Guard. I remember being pretty amazed that a WW2 vet was still in service. He also had broken service. After his time in the Navy in WW2, he got out and completed medical school. After a few years, he joined up with the Public Health Service and was assigned to the Coast Guard. He told me that this was the only way he could get back into uniform due to his age. He was a great man!

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/12/us/clinton-salutes-the-last-world-war-ii-veteran-on-active-duty.html

 

The article erroneously has him as a member of the Coast Guard.

 

Here is a more accurate bio, from the Coast Guard. CAPT Fox passed away three years ago.

 

http://www.uscg.mil/vote/docs/casualty/obituary%20120923%20CAPT%20earl%20fox%20USPHS.pdf

 

Here is his retirement write up in the PHS periodical, on page 4. There is a photo of him receiving the Legion of Merit.

 

http://ccmis.usphs.gov/ccbulletin/PDF_docs/jan00ccb.pdf

[patches]

A 1930s Old Timer, a Master Sergeant with between 27 or more years in, name unit and year unfortunately not known.

[Martinjmpr]

I believe Gen. McArthur must be near the top of any record of years of active service.  Commissioned in 1903 and I don't think he ever formally "retired" since he was a 5 star general.  That would be 61 years of active service spanning the end of the Philippine Insurrection all the way to the early stages of Vietnam.  

 

EDITED:  Should have included Omar Bradley in that list, too.  Commissioned in 1915 during WWI and carried on AD until his death in 1981 = 66 years of service (according to Wikipedia he retired in 1953 but was on "active retirement" until his death in 81.)  

 

Even if you only look at McArthur's true "active service" it was impressive, from 1903 through his dismissal in 1951, 48 years.  

 

In "American Caesar", William Manchester points out that McArthur was 70 years old when he was in command of US forces in Korea in 1950.  

[patches]

Hey Old Timer!

 

 

[patches]

In addition to member Martinjmp's mention of MacArthur, Joe Stiwell ranks up there as well, born March 19, 1883, West Point 1904, Dies In Service of cancer at 63, During his epic March out of Burma he was 58 and turned 59 during it!

[Dave]

I just picked up a Navy enlisted group to a man credited with 57 years of service on his discharge document. I am really looking forward to NARA opening again so I can actually verify if that number is correct or not.

 

If it is correct, then he was the longest-serving Navy enlisted man, and the longest-serving only short of Rickover. 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

If that holds Dave, then he surpassed this man's service

 

Chief George Sanderson, Oldest USN Sailor in WWII C.S.C. 12050

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave]

According to this man's DD-214, he served for 57 years, 5 months, 6 days. He was 76 years old when he was recalled for active duty in 1960. According to his obituary, when he died, he was the last surviving Massachusetts veteran of the Spanish-American War (he seems to have been really young, but claims to have served in the SAW with the Army, and WW1 and WW2 with the Navy). I kind of have my doubts...though the DD-214 is very clear...which is why it will be interesting to see his service record when NARA reopens. 

[patches]

Here's one I recently discovered, he was mentioned in the November 1981 Issue of SOLDIERS Magazine, Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Condich, he was in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, attached to the 82nd Airborne Division for D-Day, is wounded and taken prisoner on the morning of June 6th, and performed acts of bravery at that time that sees him retroactively awarded both the Silver Star and at least One Bronze Star after he was liberated in May 45.(He has Two Bronze Stars, but that second one may be for the late 40s award for Combat Infantryman Badge Holders)

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/90457

 

By 1981, he still in the army, a reservist with the 12th Special Forces Group in Illinois, and a CWO4, and on Jump Status still, not sure when he finally retires, 1984??? After WWII he goes home. He re-ups apparently in the Reserves in post war 40s, unit unknown, but it would be rather cool, if he joined up with the 335th Infantry in 1946-47, as this unit was in the 84th Infantry Division when it was formed as a Airborne Division, it now titled the 335th Parachute Infantry, the 84th Airborne/Infantry Division has elmts in three states, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois,, the 335th is allotted to Illinois,, Chicago Illinois, (In the Pre WWII Period the 335th Infantry is allotted to Indiana).

 

Condich on the Right.

 

Condich on the Left

In this article, mentions that every single June 6, he jumps, jumps wearing his Paratrooper Boots he worn on D-Day.

[patches]

11 minutes ago, patches said:

Here's one I recently discovered, he was mentioned in the November 1981 Issue of SOLDIERS Magazine, Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Condich, he was in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, attached to the 82nd Airborne Division for D-Day, is taken prisoner on the morning of June 6th. By 1981, he still in the army, a reservist with the 12th Special Forces Group in Illinois, and a CWO4, and on Jump Status still. He re-ups apparently in the Reserves in post war 40s, unit unknown, but it would be rather cool, if he joined up with the 335th Infantry in 1946-47, as this unit was in the 84th Infantry Division when it was formed as a Airborne Division, it now titled the 335th Parachute Infantry, the 84th Airbone/Infantry Division has elmts in three states, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois,, the 335th is allotted to Illinois,, Chicago Illinois, (In the Pre WWII Period the 335th Infantry is allotted to Indiana).

In this article, mentions that every single June 6, he jumps, jumps wearing his Paratrooper Boots he worn on D-Day.

Alas Time Catches All. He died in his home town of Chicago, and rests at Arlington.

[patches]

On 3/8/2021 at 5:33 PM, patches said:

Alas Time Catches All. He died in his home town of Chicago, and rests at Arlington.

 

[BryanJ]

I was in the 160MP BN USAR in Tallahassee 1979-80 and we had an E5 WWII vet from the Canadian Army in our unit.  He was one of the few soldiers that I recall who would Australian Rappell from a 50-foot tower that was on the FSU campus.  He was in his 60’s at that time.

[Salvage Sailor]

I now have an almost complete service record of an Army infantryman who enlisted in 1908 and received his final discharge from the Air Force in 1952

 

Carey Blake, an Infantry Soldier of long service in the US Army 1908-1952

 

[patches]

Here's a great shot of an Old Timer in WWII, one 1st Sergeant Carl Bell, Great War Vet, Bell was one night, September 15 1943, the 1,000,000th Serviceman to walk into the Hollywood Canteen in Los Angeles, and was so honored.

 

Getting smacked by Betty Grable

And Really Getting Smacked by Marlena Dietrich

[patches]

3 hours ago, patches said:

Here's a great shot of an Old Timer in WWII, one 1st Sergeant Carl Bell, Great War Vet, Bell was one night, September 15 1943, the 1,000,000th Serviceman to walk into the Hollywood Canteen in Los Angeles, and was so honored.

 

Getting smacked by Betty Grable

And Really Getting Smacked by Marlena Dietrich

No other info on Carl Bell, units etc, note no shoulder patch nor even collar discs is he wearing. As he has only three service stripes he then had a break in service after the Great War.

[patches]

An Old Timer, a Master Sergeant, at The Armored Forces School Ft Knox with FDR, would love to know who he is

[patches]

Here's Navy Old Timers in 1942

[patches]

And this fella Chief Petty Officer Ralph E. Teeter, USN, March 1942, nice shot of his Printers Rate 

[patches]

Here's one, Richard A. Bammert went in in 1964, Regular Army for 3 Years Signal Corps, served in South Korea and later Fort Monmouth New Jersey, got out in 1967 and re-uped in the New Jersey National Guard, retired in 2007 Command Sergeant Major 43 years total service,

[patches]

A Coast Guard Old Timer, photo from the mid-late 50s at the Coast Guard Boot Camp establishment Cape May New Jersey.