American Valor Quarterly Issue 8 - Winter 2010/2011 | Page 22
We Needed to Step Up
By Bob Feller
Bob Feller was a regular speaker at the American Veterans Center’s
Annual Conference, where he shared his experiences with an audience
of several hundred fellow veterans, ROTC and JROTC students,
West Point and Air Force Academy Cadets, and Naval Academy
Midshipmen. The following speech was originally printed in the
Winter, 2005 issue of World War II Chronicles, the predecessor
to American Valor Quarterly. We remain grateful
for Bob’s friendship and support over these many years.
I want to say that I am honored to be with all of you
World War II veterans today, and to congratulate you
for your service. Also, I am happy to see so many young
people here. If you asked a lot of schoolteachers and
parents today what is the most important event in the
last century for this or any other country, few will mention
World War II. That is what you call the dumbing-down
of America. The Allied victory in World War II is what has
Bob Feller is sworn into the Navy by Lieutenant Commander Gene Tunney
allowed us to enjoy the freedoms we know today.
(right), as Chicago recruiting officer Lieutenant David N. Goldenson looks on.
December, 1941.
Bettmann/CORBIS
On December 7, 1941, I was driving from my home in
Iowa to Chicago where I was to sign a new contract with the
Cleveland Indians. I was crossing the Mississippi River at
Davenport when I heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor over
the radio. At that moment, I made up my mind what I was
going to do.
morning of December 9, 1941, in the Navy recruiting office in
Chicago.
I didn’t have to go. My father was dying of cancer and I was my
family’s sole means of support. But I thought that any redblooded American