CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A Northern Kentucky World War II veteran added another amazing accomplishment to a life filled with memories.
Bob Rothfuss celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday.
“There aren’t too many who live this long,” said Rothfuss. “I’ve just been lucky. I don’t smoke, drink, or run around with women.”
He grew up in Bellevue and enlisted in the Marines at the age of 18. His son, Rick, said he told the enlisting officer that he wanted to join the Army Air Corps, but they sent him in line to enlist in the Marines instead. Rothfuss was in the South Pacific in 1945 when Marines captured the island of Iwo Jima in Japan. He was set to be the next unit to go over there had the first attempt by the United States failed.
Now, at 100 years old, he has endless stories to share. A few years ago, Rothfuss gave his son a case full of letters that he had written to his family during the war. One letter was from June 10, 1944, written to him by Rothfuss’ father. The letter documented the day Joe Nuxhall made his debut for the Reds.
“Well, I was listening to the Reds game on the radio; they were playing St. Louis,” the letter read. “And they weren’t doing great. They put in this 15-year-old pitcher to pitch. And St. Louis immediately scored five runs, and they won 18-0 that day. So, you know how much fun I had that day.”
After the war, Rothfuss got a degree from the University of Cincinnati and began working as an engineer. He worked for Senco and was part of the team that developed the surgical stapler. He’s an expert in many fields, but one thing he was never an expert on was horses. That got a little better after his daughter married the youngest triple crown winner, Steve Cauthen.
“Well, he didn’t know much about the track,” Cauthen said. “We all have our specialties. He didn’t understand horses so much. But he came over to England when I raced over there with the whole family.”
Not a lot of people can say they lived to be 100. He’s the only person remaining from his graduating class, and he said he’s grateful to still be here, surrounded by his friends and family.