Last living World War II vet at GWVH celebrates 100th birthday

Jun. 23—R

obert Rakestraw's life has been one of serving others, whether on the battlefield during World War II or entertaining through his love of music, song, dance or art.

And believe it or not, the 100-year-old is still doing it.

He celebrated that major milestone last week with a birthday party with friends and staff at the Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville where he now resides.

Rakestraw, a Marine Corps veteran, is a native of Rome, Ga., who was drafted when the war broke out.

During his three years as a Marine, Rakestraw participated in the Naval battle of the Marshall Islands campaign. He was a member of Operation Flintlock, as well as Operation Catchpole. The mission was aimed at seizing Japanese-occupied bases at Kwajalein, Eniwetok and Majuro in the Marshall Islands.

Even though it was a Naval campaign, the Marines were heavily involved in capturing those Japanese bases, "the Marines were the best part," Rakestraw said with a big smile on his face.

One of the worst things he remembered from WWII was what happened at Okinawa, Japan.

"At Sugar Loaf Hill, we finally got them (the enemy) pushed over to the shore and were bombing the heck out of them, so they surrendered," said Rakestraw.

Rakestraw was also a member of the 23rd Regiment Band during his military service. He said during times of battle, they didn't play.

A lot of work was done digging foxholes.

"We had a ring of foxholes in our headquarters' company," he said. "Me and my partner would take turns working every two hours. When one of us worked, the other one slept. It was back and forth."

Rakestraw said his partner smoked a pipe to calm himself. He started smoking a pipe, too.

"After we secured the island of Guam, I went and got me a pipe and some tobacco and I've been smoking it ever since," Rakestraw said. "I smoke it every morning."

Rakestraw, who had learned to play in high school, replaced the original trombone player in the 23rd Regiment Band.

Rakestraw said he had always wanted to learn to play a bass fiddle and he got that opportunity, too.

"I got that thing in my hands and pretty soon I was playing songs with it," Rakestraw said.

Years later, the Rome Orchestra happened to have the need for a bass fiddle player and because Rakestraw had learned to play the instrument while in the military, he was asked to join his hometown orchestra.

"I told them I wasn't sure I could play that kind of music," he said. "But they told me I could learn."

Rakestraw said he spent many hours practicing in what he called the "woodshed."

At his first concert, he remembered playing his first song all the way through.

All of that happened after he returned from the war, and to hometown of Rome, where he was born and raised.

It wasn't long before he met Audrey Roberta Roberts, who was from St. Louis, Missouri, who had moved to Rome while he was in the Marine Corps, and had opened a dance studio that bore her name. It was called the Bobbie Roberts School of Dance.

As fate would have it, the couple soon fell in love and married in 1945. She died about 20 years ago.

"She was a beautiful ballerina and was in the St. Louis Opera," recalled Rakestraw. "She didn't just teach ballroom-style dancing, she taught ballet and tap dancing, too."

He still remembers the couple's first recital at the dance studio.

"It was standing-room-only," Rakestraw said. "She was really good."

Since Rakestraw was an aspiring artist, he had the honor of painting some of the scenes.

The dance school existed for about 20 years in Rome until Rackstraw's wife retired.

It opened the door up for Rackstraw to attend art school, so he worked as an artist for the next 20 years.

"I had been sketching people and giving them away for several years," Rakestraw said. "Finally, I got the nerve up to go to art school and I was busy all day-long."

Asked how it feels to be 100, Rakestraw said, "I think about it every once in a while, especially when somebody asks me."

He called it amazing and said he feels blessed.

"I've been waiting on my 100th birthday for the past several years and months," he said.

He then wanted to be asked how he was doing.

"Well, I can't hear very much and I can't see very much, and my memory is getting bad," Rakestraw said. "But I'll show you how I feel."

Then, he broke out singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

He sang a couple of others songs for friends and the staff at the veterans home and played a song on a nearby piano, which was met with big applause from the crowd at the party.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "Physically, I'm in pretty good shape."

In addition to being artistic, with a love for music, singing and dance, he is also a talented writer.

He penned a book titled, "In Search of Primal Knowledge.

"It tells all about the most important things you need to know," Rakestraw said.

His second book is a collection of previously published newspaper columns.

"I was a columnist for The Rome News-Tribune," Rakestraw said.

Rakestraw said his life has been a very good and he looks forward to many more good years.