Was bob dole in the world war 2?

Answer 1

Yes he was. Dole was a farm boy from Kansas and attending the University of Kansas when the war began for the US.

The US Army needed thousands of new officers for the war, especially for what was THE most dangerous job of the war - infantry platoon leader. To meet the need the Army created Officer Candidate Schools (OCS), where in thirteen weeks soldiers who could complete the course became brand-new Second Lieutenants, that some soldiers called "ninety day wonders". This was the path Dole took. This was not easy, either to pass the course, or, once overseas, to come in to an outfit which had already been in action and be put in command of veteran troops when you were green as grass. Some men did better at it than others, of course. Most of the soldiers were philosophical about it anyway. The "new lieutenant" never lasted more than a few weeks at best.

Dole was assigned to a tough outfit, the 10th Mountain Division, which was fighting in Italy. This was a bad break for any soldier. Up to the capture of Rome the Americans fighting in Italy were part of their county's main effort against fascism. After the Allies landed in France, in the Normandy "D-Day" landings, those American still fighting in Italy were part of their county's main effort to capture Bologna. Predictably the "new lieutenant" was on the job leading a platoon for only a few weeks before the war ended for him. This was another bad break, as Dole was wounded in April, 1945, less than a month before the Germans surrendered. One of Dole's men was cut down, severely wounded by a German machine gun while crossing a field. Dole went out to try to bring the wounded man back and was shot himself. Dole laid on the battlefield for hours before he could be retrieved and evacuated to a hospital. Dole was right-handed, and his right shoulder and upper right arm were mangled by the bullets. Dole's right arm has been mostly paralyzed since that day. He used to frequently carry a pen in his hand, so people would not try to shake it.

Dole was in the hospital for over three years recuperating from his wounds. He nearly died twice. He spent a lot of this time in a general hospital in Michigan, where other patients included future senators Daniel Inouye and Phil Hart. When Dole returned to his parents home in Kansas, he rigged up a pulley and wire, with a few pounds of weight suspended from it and pulled on this for hours trying to build strength in his ruined arm, but saw no great gains.

Dole was the last WWII man who will ever run for President.