Battle Creek World War II veteran reenlists on 100th birthday

BATTLE CREEK - On his first day as a centenarian, Robert "Bob" Munie wanted to once again serve his country.

Munie resides at Lakeview Assisted Living in Battle Creek, where he told staff that his one wish for his 100th birthday was to reenlist in the armed forces after having served in World War II with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and later in the U.S. Air Force.

On Thursday, Munie was surprised to have his birthday wish granted, reenlisting for one day as an honorary technical sergeant with the Michigan Air National Guard in front of about 100 spectators outside Lakeview Assisted Living.

“This gentleman is a World War II veteran. He served his nation, not once, but twice," retired U.S. Air Force Col. Frank Walker said during the ceremony. "He has served so much for his country, for his family. This is such a small token of appreciation we can do for a gentleman who has given so much to his family and his nation."

Munie sensed something was afoot when he was told to dress in donated military fatigues for his birthday celebration, though he was missing a few items for the uniform. Upon walking to his seat, Walker asked him if he could get him anything.

"You can get me a shirt," Munie quipped, before being presented with a military tunic and hat embroidered with his name, completing the uniform.

During the birthday celebration and enlistment ceremony, Munie was presented with a key to the city from Battle Creek Mayor Mark Behnke, a deployment gift package from the Battle Creek chapter of Blue Star Mothers, pins from the Michigan Air National Guard, birthday cards from area schoolchildren and a check from Walker through the Calhoun County Red White Blue Foundation for $127 (the equivalent of one month pay for a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant in 1953).

The ceremony also included a flyover from two World War II-era planes from Hooligans Flight Team and a "Happy Birthday" song from all who gathered.

“I couldn’t say what was the best," Munie said of the surprise. "I couldn’t believe it!”

Munie was born in Illinois in 1922, where he was raised as one of 10 children. One of his first jobs was working at a hardware store for 15 cents an hour.

Upon graduation from high school, Munie was drafted into the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, where his first task was to help build bridges for the Alaskan Highway in what was then the Yukon Territory.

Munie was later sent to England, France, Belgium and Germany, repairing bridges and roads that had been destroyed. When World War II ended, he returned to civilian life for about six months before reenlisting with the Air Force. He did cryptology and coded and decoded messages for about six years.

After retiring from military service, Munie became a civil servant as a computer programmer and systems analyst. He moved to Battle Creek in 1961 to work at the Federal Center (now the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center), where he spent the next 45 years of his career before retirement. He married Therese Currier in 1967, whom he spent the next 33 years with until her death in 2000. The couple had three children and were active members of St. Philip and St. Joseph Catholic churches, with Bob also serving as a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Munie's three children and several of his seven grandchildren were in attendance for the ceremony. His son, Joe Munie, said he was happy to see his father back in his element.

“His generation pretty much is gone. And to see him be part of that one last time is really cool," he said. “We heard all this stuff growing up. You don’t appreciate it until you get down the road. These (World War II veterans) were all very similar. They grew up in the Depression. I always heard this, ‘We did what we had to do.’ It was a common thread I always heard. It’s been really neat to see and we're very grateful."

Mary Ruger, Munie's youngest daughter, added “We’ve never seen him in uniform, so that was neat. He deserves it.”

Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek World War II veteran reenlists on 100th birthday