Bob Dole was my hero. (Personal)

[SteveSS]

My wife's grandfather Chet Dawson owned the drug store in Russell, Kansas. A mid-size oil town out on the great plains. In the 40's the drug store was the hub of activity, especially for young people. Chet was a good businessman and knew the way to get all the girls to the soda fountain was to hire the handsome boy in town. Bob Bole was just that. Bob was too poor to own weights so he and his brother lifted car parts, axles, and such to build their bodies up. It worked. The girls came to see Bob the boys came to see the girls. Bob Dole wanted to go to college at Kansas University but he couldn't afford it so he worked as a cook and cleaner at a fraternity for his room and board.

When World War 2 broke out he felt it was his duty to join up. He didn't last very long. While trying to help his wounded friend he was shot in the shoulder and sent home. Things weren't looking good and his recovery was in serious doubt. He needed an expensive surgery in Chicago. Chet Dawson his former employer started a fund and ended up paying for the surgery and his subsequent recovery. Bob Dole became a hometown hero. He worked his way through politics and eventually ran for the Kansas senate.

My wife's mother remembers campaigning for Dole by carrying around little cups of Dole pineapple juice to prospective voters. One man thanked her by pouring the juice over her little head. Robert Dole went on to become one of the most respected US Senators in the history of our county. Despite his injured arm, he was a symbol of our nation's great strength.

When he ran for president against Bill Clinton in 1996 my 6-year daughter drew and colored a little election ballot. We thought it was cute and we sent it to his office. A few months later on a Saturday morning I got a call from a lady saying Bob Dole was on the line calling for my daughter Kylie. Sure enough, it was Bob Dole. They talked for a few minutes and he thanked her for her vote

No matter how you feel about him I will always remember Trump kissing Bob Dole at Bush's funeral. Robert Dole was a class act.

 

[AR67GTX]

I was reading the releases yesterday and how he ended up leading a mountain platoon in the 101st Airborne in Italy. He said he couldn’t figure it out as growing up in Kansas he had only seen one mountain prior to his service. And they didn’t get much experience skiing in Kansas.

I’m a native Kansan myself. Thanks for posting. RIP Bob Dole.

 

[68gtxman]

RIP Mr. Dole!

 

[Durandal25]

Mr Dole is awesome. He's human, and had all the same fears and challenges all vets share. He made a life after being horribly wounded fighting for the country and the free world. He does not need to be re-imagined nor contextualized. God speed sir.

 

[69a100]

I never had a problem with him at all! Then there was a person here that gave him **** for saluting Bush's casket with his left arm, if only the moron's knew!

 

[Mike67]

My grandfather talked about Dole and his platoon. Ill try to recite what he told me when I was in my early 20s.
After leaving the North African campaign, my gradfathers unit was part of the Anzio invasion and making their way up the "bloody boot". They had made it up close to Bolongna/Genoa and the war was over for the most part.
My grandfathers unit ( he was a Tech Sgt in the 5th) was given a week or two of R&R at a camp near the Austrian/Swiss border when Dole and his unit showed up. As my g-dad explained they were all FNGs just off the transport. They had not been battled hardned/tested and were gun-ho to go kill some krauts. My g-dad said that they were given several warnings about pockets of Germans still in bunkers in the mountains and still fighting hard which ultimately lead to their demise and Bob getting shot.
This is why that generation was called the greatest generation as every soldier was prepared to give their life to stop evil no matter the cost.
RIP Bob.

 

[AR67GTX]

I never knew much about the North Africa and Sicily/Italy WWII campaigns except that Italy in particular was drawn out far past early aspirations ands plans. But lately I’ve been reading a trilogy of books by Rick Atkinson on them plus France/D-day. Both were bloody campaigns but Italy particularly so. I believe some of the allies largest single day casualty counts (excluding Russia) were in Italy.

 

[Mike67]

I never knew much about the North Africa and Sicily/Italy WWII campaigns except that Italy in particular was drawn out far past early aspirations ands plans. But lately I’ve been reading a trilogy of books by Rick Atkinson on them plus France/D-day. Both were bloody campaigns but Italy particularly so. I believe some of the allies largest single day casualty counts (excluding Russia) were in Italy.

He didnt talk a lot about it but every now and then he would open up. My mom was 4 y.o before he ever saw her.
A funny story he told me about was that his first point of entry was in Algiers Lybia where they were then transported to the FOB which was adjacent to an British encampment, he said everything was pretty good there until the camps ran out if booze then all hell would break loose and the Americans and English would start fighting each other. Anyway he befriended some English Captain and when they would run out they would fly to Casablanca to pick up more booze.
He said everyone would be fine afterwards and peace would abound until they ran out again.

 

[Matthew Miller]

I was reading the releases yesterday and how he ended up leading a mountain platoon in the 101st Airborne in Italy. He said he couldn’t figure it out as growing up in Kansas he had only seen one mountain prior to his service. And they didn’t get much experience skiing in Kansas.

I’m a native Kansan myself. Thanks for posting. RIP Bob Dole.

He was actually a LT in the 10th Mountain Division when he was wounded in Italy.
RIP to a Great American.

 

[Matthew Miller]

I never knew much about the North Africa and Sicily/Italy WWII campaigns except that Italy in particular was drawn out far past early aspirations ands plans. But lately I’ve been reading a trilogy of books by Rick Atkinson on them plus France/D-day. Both were bloody campaigns but Italy particularly so. I believe some of the allies largest single day casualty counts (excluding Russia) were in Italy.

That Trilogy on WW2 is probably the best books I have read about the U.S. participation in the ETO and I have read a lot.

 

[Cojohnso1]

What I was surprised about Sen Dole was his sense of humor. Who knew? SNL still talk about it. Not only a good sport. But witty counter commentary.

 

[SteveSS]

Speaking of Bob Dole's sense of humor, his contemporaries were giving him grief for doing a Vigara commercial so he followed it with this Brittany Spears Pepsi commercial. The visuals are great with the tops popping off the bottles and spewing Pepsi. LOL for Bob Dole!

 

[oldbee]

Jeez, how old am I? Watched a rerun of his speech upon leaving the Senate (late 90's ?). And I named a good 30 or so Senators that shook his hand. A very humble & good man!

 

[GetX'd]

Sorry to say because of all the putrid news and terrible hours of misinformation and such I’ve pretty much cut myself off from all of it. I didn’t know that one of our greatest hero’s had passed Sunday until seeing it here. I loved Bob Dole, voted for him for president. Repeated him for as long as I’ve known of him. I believed in his integrity, love of country - He was a humble giant of a man and an American. Where have all our hero’s gone? Well one just passed on Sunday. One of the last and truly great representatives of our fraying democracy.
God Bless you Senator Dole, God Speed and RIP.

 

[Skytrooper]

Sen. Bob Dole was a class act all the way ! He understood Patriotism, Self Sacrifice, Selfless Service. He is a true American hero.

 

[SlinktRR]

Bob Dole was great. Part of the greatest generation and it showed.

He was on one hand a serious partisan republican but could often get bipartisan results. He got the American with Disabilities Act across the line which was serious legislation and affects us to this day. Unfortunately for us in the USA, that spirit in congress is dead and bipartisan is a bad word. You can't get elected in a lot of districts unless you are hard right or hard left. People dont listen to the voices in the middle, just the loudmouths at the poles who grab the attention.

 

[eldubb440]

Bob Dole Switches To Democrat Party | The Babylon Bee

 

[demonram]

I always thought he was a great man. Very honorable and a true hero. Rest In Peace sir!

 

[Roger63]

I grew up in Kansas, my father was a life long Democrat. As far back as I can remember at election time he always complained that it was a waist of time to vote against Bob Dole. He would say you just can't beat morals and integrity. Rip Mr.Dole

 

[WileERobby]

I think if we had a congress filled with many a Bob Dole, this country would be in great shape. 'nuff said.