PENNINGTON, H. R., Sr., “Bob”

83, of Madeira Beach, passed Sept.1, 2008. Pentecostal.          

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lois; his son Rob; Rob’s wife Debra; and their children Jamie, Rick, Brittany and Paul.

Bob was lifetime member of VFW Post 4256 and American Legion Post 273.  His commitment to these Posts included hours of volunteer work and supporting events while health allowed.  Members looked forward to his cheerful smiles and words of encouragement, not only at the Posts, but all the vets he met traveling the U.S. with Lois.

Bob was born to parents in a small log cabin in Estep, Kentucky. Bob had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Mother was Ella, a cook and occasional moonshiner and father was George Washington Pennington, a coalminer, formerly of the Army First Calvary serving with distinction in WWI. Bob’s dad died of black lung when Bob was 9 and left him working in a slaughterhouse and other odd jobs to support his depression era family.

When he was old enough, life didn’t get much softer when Bob enlisted in the Army February 1943 and served in the WWII European Theatre of Operations until discharge December 1945.

When asked what he did in the war, he’d talk mostly about the nice people he met in the war-torn cities and the laughs they had in Britain training for D-Day.  Few knew he started his service as a dog trainer before coming ashore on Omaha Beach with the D-Day Invasion, soon linking up with his faithful war dog Bruce, also part of his preparation in Britain.  Bob named Bruce after Scottish King Robert the Bruce who he swears was his namesake and family ancestor.  Attached to the First Army from landing, through Paris, to fighting in northern France, it was Bob’s job to take the lead on patrols with Bruce scouring the hedgerows for German ambush teams.  On one night patrol, Bruce jumped in front of Bob while inching up a dense earth hedge and silently pulled him to the ground.  Dog and master lay together silent until breaking light revealed an enemy machine gun nest nearly arms length in front of them.  His patrol quickly silenced the threat.

After Bruce was shot and killed Bob sought a quick transfer from the First to the 44th Combat Engineers attached to various infantry under General Patton’s Third Army, they continued to fight with spearhead groups into Belgium.  Their job was to soften enemy positions for Patton’s armored advance, pushing Nazi forces back across the Rhine river during the Battle of the Bulge.  Bob was proud to share with some of those close to him, pictures of the permanent and floating bridges he helped build across the Rhine and other rivers for Patton.  It was hard to tell sometimes, who was his favorite between George Patton and John Wayne, but the families guess is the guy with two ivory handled pistols and stars on his collar.

After catching up, and marching with other troops, a nearby soldier stepped on a land mine and Bob received shrapnel wounds to his lower abdomen.  The field aid station doctor stitched him up, gave him meds and ordered him not to move from his cot.  When left alone, he quickly grabbed his gear and went to find his unit.  He said it was no big deal.  You just had to fight hurt sometimes.

The enemy in retreat, Bob was about to see first hand the level of absolute evil in the hearts of the enemy he had fought so hard.  Because of the emotion of recalling this horrific memory, Bob only revealed it to his wife near the very end of his life.  Bob was riding cover atop of the first tank to crash through the gates of Buchenwald concentration camp.  As the Nazi’s fled their arrival, Bob saw a skeleton of a man running toward his tank, arms outstretched.  Bob jumped down and ran toward the pitiful soul only to have the man fall forward into Bob’s arms.  The man’s grip was strong and as he looked up into the big Americans eyes, Bob said he could see hope through the tears in his eyes.  For this innocent victim of tyranny, and the rest of the walking dead in the camp, the war was over and it was for Bob too as he could begin to make plans for his future back home.

Bob and Lois met at the Bell Telephone Company in Dayton, Ohio and were soon married.  Bob designed and built a home for his young family and lived there until they both retired from Bell and moved to Madeira Beach, Florida on Labor Day weekend to find their new home still wet and wrecked from Hurricane Elena.  Even their move to their dream home was less than easy. 

Less than easy described Bob’s life pretty well.  He worked hard, provided for his family, gave of himself when duty and fair play called, and always tried to keep a positive attitude if not for himself, then others that needed an encouraging word.

Bob’s life was his hard labor and labor scarred him while building his character and sense of service to God, family and country.  It was only fitting that he went to his final rest this year on Labor Day.  All the weight disappeared from his shoulders as he met his Savior and heard the words all men long to hear.  “Well done my good and faithful servant.”  Rest now Bob.  We’ll see you soon.

There will be a Memorial Celebration on December 06, 2008 at American Legion Post 273, located at 600 American Legion Dr., Madeira Beach, Florida starting at 11a.m. followed by Bob’s favorite Legion food, and refreshments.

In lieu of flowers, please make your gifts to:

The American Legion

Post 273

600 American Legion Dr.

Madeira Beach, FL 33708

And:

Glad Tidings A.G., Christian Foreign Missions

4200 17th Avenue North

St. Petersburg, FL 33713

Please make note they are for the Bob Pennington memorial