The scorching sun hugged their skin like a blood-thirsty serpent as sweat licked sunburnt faces. U.S. Army Artillery Surveyor Mr. Bob Rodenbucher (pictured right) was expected to be combat-ready at all times during the Cuban Blockade in October of 1962.
His unit was loaded onto cargo planes and was not allowed to leave the area. When a heatwave struck Oklahoma, they suffered through high temperatures, and many eventually fell sick on the airplane.
Mr. Rodenbucher was born in Akron, Ohio in 1939 into a family of four: him, a mother, father and brother. He later moved to Stow, Ohio, the town he grew up in.
“It was a small town at that time with a small town atmosphere,” Mr. Rodenbucher said. “No fences, mostly dirt roads. Everybody knew everybody in school.”
He was employed from the age of 16 and on, dedicating most of his time to college and work in California. Ever since Mr. Rodenbucher was a child, he wanted to be an electrical engineer. In college, he excelled in physics and mathematics.
Mr. Rodenbucher was drafted into the military at the age of 22. He took the ASVAB test, which determines an individual’s position in the army, and earned a high score on the General Technical section of the exam.
“Some people were happy that I was drafted; some of them were probably sad,” Mr. Rodenbucher said. “I feel a whole lot safer now that we have an all-volunteer military.”
After basic training, Mr. Rodenbucher was assigned into an artillery division stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. As an artillery surveyor, he was responsible for surveying the positions of the enemy and identifying the locations of each artillery piece.
He earned the title of Army Specialist E-5 within a span of 18 months, which is the minimum amount of time required to receive the title.
“Staying alive kept me motivated,” Mr. Rodenbucher said. “We trained for one thing and that was efficiency. If we were the best, if we went into combat, we would probably survive.”
The biggest challenge his unit had to face was during the Cuban Blockade when they were inside cargo planes. The temperature inside was approximately 105 degrees, causing many to feel nauseated. Thankfully, they were allowed to exit the plane on the third day and found shade under the plane’s wings.
He was discharged from the service in 1963, seven days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
“From my experience in the military, I enlightened myself to other cultures,” Mr. Rodenbucher said. “I learned to live with different races and how to be frugal.”
Mr. Rodenbucher married his wife, Ms. Carole Rodenbucher, in 1968, and their goal was to search for a good area to buy a house. They thought the school systems in San Marino, Arcadia and Temple City were the best. In the end, he and his wife settled on a new house in Temple City.
As a Temple City resident, Mr. Rodenbucher enjoys volunteering within the community and fishing. He is involved with the Camellia Festival and a member of the Kiwanis and the Elks, which gives millions in scholarships each year.
He tries to volunteer wherever he can, such as handing out raffle tickets at Live Oak’s Halloween event.
“I just love being around other people,” Mr. Rodenbucher said. “I stay involved as much as I can because it keeps me active.”
The writing is disappointing.