A sudden jolt disturbed the calmness of the night at sea and jostled veteran Mr. Franklin Ruedel against the ship’s cold hull. The shock dragged him out of his tranquil sleep below deck, throwing him into a rush of confusion and fear as chaos ensued.
The destroyer escort ship that he was on that night had violently crossed paths with its sister ship’s bow, never reaching its destination on a maneuver to Hawaii.
The watch had not seen the ship crossing in front of them while Mr. Ruedel was off duty. The captain, who had consequently been relieved of duty, remarked that Mr. Ruedel would have seen the ship had he been on duty.
“That’s something you need to be watchful for in your own life,” Mr. Ruedel said. “One of the things that I’ve learned from all of this is that you never know what it’s going to lead to.”
Mr. Ruedel grew up on Ardendale Avenue and continues to reside near his childhood home. He lived there for 32 years with his family and another 30 years with his wife.
Since he spent his childhood three houses down from Disney animator Ward Kimball and the famous Grizzly Flats Railroad, Mr. Ruedel often played around the train cars with his younger sister. He loves the strong bonds he built with his family through sharing unique childhood experiences and spending many decades together.
In 1959, Mr. Ruedel graduated from Temple City High School as a part of the first class to have spent all four years here. By 1963, he had earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the California State University of Los Angeles.
It was from there that he would enlist in the US Navy Reserve. He attributed his family and girlfriend at the time to his decision to join the military, something he had not considered before.
“As you’re growing up, you may see it with yourself that you’re in conflict with your parents for whatever reason, right or wrong,” Mr. Ruedel said. “You end up going into the military to give yourself a break from that conflict. That’s part of you growing up.”
His girlfriend suggested he join the U.S. Navy, as her brother had done so. He enlisted because he saw it as a prime opportunity to grow as a person. While unable to actively serve for the Navy due to a lack of open billets, he pursued and successfully secured a spot serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Following boot camp in San Diego and Texas, Mr. Ruedel worked at Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli, Libya. While the Vietnam War raged on, he contributed to the cause by working in supply and warehousing.
There, he came to know the Kemskys, a family that changed his life. Thanks to their encouragement, he journeyed through Rome, Malta, Germany, Switzerland, France and more.
He cited the chances to travel and see things he never would have seen as one of the benefits of joining the military. Another opportunity he gained from the military was what he considered personal growth.
“You’ll grow and you’ll be a better person,” Mr. Ruedel said. “That’s what the military does to you.”
After 18 months stationed in Tripoli, he transferred to working in Washington, D.C. at Andrews Air Force Base. He continued to put to use the many skills he had obtained during his time in the U.S. Air Force to succeed in his new career in the banking industry.
“You learn how to follow orders, and you learn how to think on your own two feet,” Mr. Ruedel said. “The military teaches you things you could not learn in a civilian life.”
After being discharged from the Air Force and earning another degree in economics, he reenlisted in the Navy Reserve and was a part of the U.S. Naval Construction Force. He worked with supplies again, up to December 31, 1989, before the start of the Gulf War.
Mr. Ruedel went on to have four daughters with his wife, Ms. Linda Ruedel. He thinks a strong family is crucial to stability and happiness, believing that a large family is a blessing, not a burden.
“Family is what makes life work,” Mr. Ruedel said. “You learn to provide for them because it is required to take care of the family.”
After 26 years of service in the Navy and Air Force and many decades as a supportive husband and father, Mr. Ruedel always keeps strong lessons and morals with him. Above all, he values family and maturity.
“I think that the stronger a family we could build with our parents and ourselves, the stronger prepared we are for many types of things to happen,” Mr. Ruedel said. “That’s what’s so critical in the family life that you create.”