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A Soldier Who Became a Preacher

As told by Richard A. Boeckel

WHILE in the army during the second world war, I began to study some Bible literature. As I read and tried to figure things out, the question went through my mind: What is God’s view on the difficult situations that we face in life today?

I reasoned that in 1776, when the United States was born, there were brave men who gave their life for their country, yes, many who were even sorry that they had only one life to give. But really, I asked myself, what eternal benefits did their noble sacrifice bring? Certainly it did not conquer man’s greatest enemies, sickness and death, since all the persons living then have long since died.

The sad truth is that no human government can conquer death, or even sickness, or old age. But now I was learning about the government of Jehovah God that could, and would, conquer these enemies. In a prophecy about God’s king, Jesus Christ, the Bible says: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder . . . Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”​—Isa. 9:6, 7, Authorized Version.

Jesus taught his followers to pray for this government of God. “After this manner therefore pray,” he said. “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This kingdom-government, which the Bible shows will eliminate ‘death, sorrow, crying and pain,’ surely is superior to any human government. And since Jesus urged, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,” it made sense to me that obedience to God’s laws should come first in the lives of those who support His government.​—Matt. 6:9, 10, 33; Rev. 21:3, 4, AV.

Becoming convinced of these matters, I applied for a discharge; but this was not granted.

SHARING IN KINGDOM PREACHING

From what I was learning I recognized the Christian responsibility to share with others the “good news of the kingdom.” (Matt. 24:14) While located at Fort Francis E. Warren, Wyoming, I started attending meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in nearby Cheyenne, and obtained literature supplies. In the weeks that followed I distributed hundreds of books and booklets in the camp hospital and in the dormitories. Camp authorities soon learned about this preaching campaign, and they tried to find out who was responsible. But the men helped me to avoid being discovered.

I would go from bunk to bunk and speak quietly to individuals or small groups. Meanwhile, soldiers would stand as lookouts at the front and back doors of the dormitory. When officers came looking for me, the men warned me, and I would leave by the other door. I would then go to dormitories in another section of the camp and begin witnessing there. Still I could not get my discharge.

AN IMPORTANT FURLOUGH

In August 1944 I was granted a furlough to attend the United Announcers’ Theocratic Assembly in Denver, Colorado. I really believe that it was by the Lord’s direction that this furlough was granted, especially in view of what occurred at the assembly.

During one of the sessions I sat next to Lotta Thayer, a Witness from Abilene, Kansas. In the course of our conversation, she learned about the problems I was having trying to serve God in a military environment, in view of what I had learned from Isaiah 2:4 and related scriptures.

“Do you know who my neighbor is?” she asked. “It’s General Eisenhower’s mother! She’s one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Would you like her to write you?”

“I sure would!” I exclaimed.

HELP FROM EISENHOWER’S MOTHER

Toward the end of August we were on maneuvers in Colorado. I refused guard duty and was called to the headquarters tent. Halfway up the path I was told to sit under a juniper tree until called. While I was waiting, a soldier cried, “Mail call!” and someone brought me a letter. I had just finished reading it when I was told to report.

As I entered the headquarters tent, where all the “top brass” had gathered, I didn’t salute. One of the officers said: “Don’t you salute your superiors?”

“No, Sir.”

“Why not?”

Respectfully, I gave my reasons, based on my understanding of the Bible. At that the officer said: “General Eisenhower ought to line you Jehovah’s Witnesses up and shoot you all!”

“Do you think he would shoot his own mother, Sir?” I asked.

“What do you mean by that?” he shot back.

Reaching in my pocket and taking out Sister Eisenhower’s letter, I handed it to him. “I just received this letter from the General’s mother while waiting for you to call me.”

As he read the letter, which you see reproduced on the opposite page, the other officers also gathered around to look at it. Thoughtfully, and with a greatly changed attitude, he handed it back to me. “Get back to ranks,” he said, “I don’t want to get mixed up with the General’s mother.”

Ida Eisenhower, whose son later became president of the United States, was, at the time, 82 years of age. From reading her letter, you can see that for most of her life she had been one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The timing of her letter’s arrival could not have been better! Her encouragement was just what I needed.

MAINTAINING A FIRM POSITION

Although I continued trying for a discharge, this was not granted. However, I refused to share in any activity that I felt directly violated Bible principles. At one time this made for a comical situation. About 60 of us had arranged our cots in a huge circle in the dormitory to listen to instruction from a visiting major. Standing in the middle of the circle, he whirled around and pointed his finger at me. “You demonstrate how to throw a hand grenade.”

“I’d rather not, Sir,” I replied.

“And why not?”

“Because somebody might get hurt.”

Well, the boys, all knowing of my Bible-based beliefs, rolled back on the cots laughing so much that in the confusion that followed the major couldn’t find me again. So he went on to something else.

PREACHING IN FRANCE

Later on, while still seeking to get out of the army, I was sent to France. I accepted the turn of events as Jehovah’s will, and determined to serve Him whatever happened. Thus, marvelous opportunities of Kingdom service were opened to me in France. The 1980 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses briefly tells something about this under the heading “A U.S. Soldier Makes Disciples.”

Arriving in France around the first of October 1944, I sent my pay to the Watchtower Society in New York and asked for some French literature. For months it never arrived.

Having studied at the University of Grenoble in the summer of 1933, I knew some French. So I was able to preach to the local people wherever we were​—in Nancy, Dijon, Le Mans and Vittel. Often it would be midnight by the time I returned to our quarters after spending five to ten hours calling at their homes with the Kingdom message.

When in Paris I met Henri Geiger, who was then taking oversight of the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France. Through him I obtained some French literature. But since it was in such short supply I would lend a booklet to a householder for three or four days, and then I would return and pick it up so that I could lend it to someone else. My preaching, as well as my refusal to bear arms or salute officers, attracted much attention. But still I had no discharge!

REFUSING TO COMPROMISE

About the time the Germans mounted their last major offensive in the Battle of the Bulge, I was called to local army headquarters. Due to the shortage of fighting men, they wanted me to bear arms. Also, they ordered that I salute officers and stop preaching. “I expect you to do the work of a good soldier,” the colonel said.

I explained to the colonel: “If everyone would accept my Bible-based moral advice there wouldn’t be the problems with drunkenness among the soldiers, or the need to take care of their sex diseases.”

The colonel’s answer to that was: “America would not deny the pleasures of sexual intercourse to its soldiers, for America is built on that principle.”

I corrected the colonel, telling him that it was my understanding America was built on the principle of the honorableness of marriage, and did not advocate adultery and fornication. At that I was given the ultimatum: ‘Either stop preaching or be shot in the morning.’ Using the apostles’ words at Acts 4:19, 20 and Ac 5:29, I told them that I must obey God rather than them, and so I could not stop speaking about God’s kingdom.

Rather than being shot, I was arrested and put to work digging a latrine. So there I was six feet down in a hole, with Sergeant Randy Tarbell guarding me above. After the war Randy studied with John Booth, now a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and today Randy is a Christian elder.

EVIDENCE OF JEHOVAH’S DIRECTION

With the need still great for fighting men, a young soldier was transferred from Vittel and I was sent to replace him. So now I was no longer under arrest. And instead of living in a pup tent, I now had a room with a real bed in Vittel’s luxury Hôtel des Grandes Sources!

The first day after arriving, I received a big box with about 60 books​—the literature I had ordered from the Watchtower Society nearly five months earlier. It had been following me around, but just had not gotten to me. I hid it under my bed. It was the first place I had been where I could safely keep Bible literature. Surely, this must have been by Jehovah’s direction. But besides French books, the Society also sent books in Italian, Russian and German. “Why?” I asked myself. “Don’t they know I’m in France?”

Well, the next morning I went downstairs to the dining room, and what did I see? I tingled all over! There were about 50 Italian soldiers! By now, in February 1945, they had joined the Allies in the fight against the Nazis. But that is not all. There were also about 50 Russian soldiers staying in the hotel. While eating with them in the mess hall during the next several days, I managed to communicate with them in languages we spoke in common, placing all the Italian and Russian books.

But what about the German books? Later, while in Nancy, I met 60 German prisoners. Since I spoke German I was able to witness to them. How they appreciated something to read! And how clear it became to me that Jehovah is directing the Kingdom preaching! All of this, I am convinced, could never have happened by chance.

During the weeks I was in Vittel, I visited every home in town with the Kingdom message. One call I will never forget. It was on André and Suzanne Perrin. We gathered around the table along with their children, studying until midnight. The following morning Suzanne called out to me as I passed by: “Monsieur Richard, do you know what I did after you left last night? I burned all my crosses, my images, virgins, rosaries​—all in the fire!”

Recently Suzanne wrote to tell me that they have about 50 persons associated with the congregation in Vittel. Although her husband has died, she, her son, and other relatives are active Witnesses. I count it a great privilege to have been able to sow seeds of Kingdom truth in France and to have seen some of them bear fruitage, while still awaiting my discharge from the army.

BACK TO AMERICA

The war in Europe ended a few weeks later, early in May. Soon afterward we were on our way back to America.

We were sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, where we were kept before being discharged. I contacted the local group of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and spent most of my time preaching, both at the homes of the local people and in the huge army camp. Each day I took a shopping bag filled with about 25 Bible textbooks and would place them all. The brothers had to keep making special trips into Richmond to replenish their literature supplies.

Then came the last weekend before our discharge. I had three days left in the army to preach. There was no literature left. What to do? I went into a barracks where all the men were waiting for discharge. Standing at the door, I said in a loud voice: “Men, may I have your attention! I have a message for you and something you can take home with you and enjoy for the next year.”

At this they gathered around and I gave a witness, stressing that God’s kingdom is the only hope for mankind. I presented the Watchtower and Consolation (now Awake!) magazines and took their subscriptions. Sometimes I got a dozen subscriptions in one barracks. The last subscription I obtained was at 2 a.m. on the bus back to New York. I arrived home with $203.00 for 203 subscriptions. My service in the army ended with an honorable discharge.

In the nearly 35 years since that day my convictions regarding God’s Kingdom promises have not wavered in the least. After getting out of the army, I was able to pursue my goal of serving as a minister of God. I have enjoyed many privileges over the years in the Christian congregation, presently serving as an elder. Also, for 13 years now I have been in the full-time preaching activity, proclaiming the good news about God’s kingdom, the only government that can bring lasting peace to earth.

[Blurb on page 25]

‘My neighbor is Eisenhower’s mother,’ the woman said. ‘She’s one of Jehovah’s Witnesses’

[Blurb on page 26]

“Get back to ranks,” the officer said, “I don’t want to get mixed up with the General’s mother”

[Blurb on page 28]

Rather than being shot, I was arrested and put to work digging a latrine

[Blurb on page 29]

Sometimes I got a dozen subscriptions in one barracks

[Box on page 27]

Abilene, Kansas.

August-20-’44.

Mr. Richard Boeckel.

35 Garland Drive

Eggertsville.21, New York.

Dear Sir:-

A friend returning from the United Announcers Convention of Jehovah’s witnesses, informs me of meeting you there. I rejoice with you in your privilege of attending such convention.

It has been my good fortune many times in the years gone by to attend these meetings of those faithfully proclaiming the name of Jehovah and his glorious Kingdom which shortly now will pour out its rich blessings over all the earth.

My friend informs me of your desire to have a word from General Eisenhower’s mother whom you have been told is one of the witnesses of Jehovah. I am indeed such and what a glorious privilege it has been in association with those of the present time and with those on back through the annals of Biblical history even to Abel.

Generally I have refused such requests because of my desire to avoid all publicity. However, because you are a person of good will towards Jehovah God and his glorious Theocracy I am very happy to write you.

I have been blessed with seven sons of which five are living, all being very good to their mother and I am constrained to believe are very fine in the eyes of those who have learned to know them.

It was always my desire and my effort to raise my boys in the knowledge of and to reverence their Creator. My prayer is that they all may anchor their hope in the New World, the central feature of which is the Kingdom for which all good people have been praying the past two thousand years.

I feel that Dwight my third son will always strive to do his duty with integrity as he sees such duty. I mention him in particular because of your expressed interest in him.

And so as the mother of General Eisenhower and as a witness of and for the Great Jehovah of Hosts (I have been such the past 49 years) I am pleased to write you and to urge you to faithfulness as a companion of and servant with those who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus”.

There can be no doubt that what is now called the post-war period is the “one hour” mentioned at Revelation chapters 17 and 18. Ten here being a symbol not of just ten nations but rather of the whole number or all of the nations, then if we have a real League of Nations acting efficiently as a super guide to the nations of earth at the close of this war that should be ample proof.

Surely this portends that very soon the glorious Theocracy, the long promised Kingdom of Jehovah the Great God and of his Son the everlasting King will rule the entire earth and pour out manifold blessings upon all peoples who are of good will towards Him. All others will be removed.

Again may I urge your ever faithfulness to these the “Higher Powers” and to the New World now so very near.

Respectfully your in hope of and as a fighter for the New World,

Ida E. Eisenhower