One of the most important things about life is how you live it. What tells a story? Could you write a book about your life that stands out from the crowd? Consider this when it comes to the many choices given in life.
Mr. John (Jack) R. Benjamin is one of the people who could write a book about his life that could be on the New York Times Bestseller List. The life that Mr. Benjamin has led is a life that stands out in a crowd. I am truly honored to share his story; a story that is well-deserved to be shared.
Preparing for the interview with Mr. Benjamin, I drafted a list of questions that I could not wait to ask him. However, it was only after I met him that I realized I only needed to ask one question, “Tell me your story.” Upon asking this, his face lit up with joy as he began taking me along on his 99 almost 100-year journey of life. It is with deepest pride and respect that I am now able to share his story.
Conceived in China, but born in Nebraska, Mr. Benjamin’s youth was one much different than the average American child. Born as the son of missionary parents, Mr. Benjamin was a missionary kid, or as he said they were called, an “MK.”
“China back then was backwards compared to the way China is today,” said Mr. Benjamin Born in 1925, it wasn’t until 1932 that Mr. Benjamin returned to the United States, but for only a
year that time, and until 1940 that he returned home for good.
In 1937, the Japanese invaded China in Shanghai. Shanghai, an area of three Concessions – International, French, and Chinese – were only invaded through the Chinese Concession. Mr. Benjamin recollected that he was in the mountains of China when the Japanese invaded. During the invasion, Mr. Benjamin attended the prestigious Shanghai-American School.
In 1940, Mr. Benjamin, along with his family, took the 27-day steamship trip back to the United States. The highlights of the trip included stops in Hawaii and San Francisco, where he and his
family attended the San Francisco World’s Fair.
Now, back in the United States, Mr. Benjamin and his family traveled back to Nebraska. He finished secondary school at Berea College in Kentucky. Berea’s high school program is a program that is no longer offered. After completing high school in 1943, he expected to be drafted into the Second World War. However, it was deferred as a result of his attending college at the University of Cincinnati. He hoped to get a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, but was “weeded out,” as he says, by his professor.
Afterwards, he told the draft board to draft him into the latter part of WWII so that he’d be eligible for the GI Bill. In 1946, Mr. Benjamin was drafted into the United States Army, where he served until 1948.
After his discharge in 1948, he went back to the University of Cincinnati, where he said that his professor told him he was wasting his time. He then transferred to Miami University in Oxford,
Ohio, where he received his degree in Industrial Engineering.
In 1950, he was called back to serve during the Korean War Conflict. Mr. Benjamin was sent to Fort Hood, Texas, away from his wife and newborn baby. During his time at Fort Hood, he travelled to Arkansas to visit his mother, father, wife, and baby. He shared that when he got back to Fort Hood, after his visit, he was then transferred to Fort Chaffee in Arkansas, only 20 miles from his family.
“They didn’t want me to lose my glasses,” said Mr. Benjamin, as he described why he was never sent overseas.
After being discharged again after the Korean War Conflict, he went back again to the University of Miami in Ohio before getting a job in Chicago doing motion time studies.
Eventually, he went to work for his brother-in-law’s company in Charlotte. He was initially put in the office, before being transferred to a job out in the field, traveling from warehouse to warehouse, installing and welding the equipment for the company.
To finish Mr. Benjamin’s story, he described how the Lord saved him. He said that he was blessed with three daughters and a loving wife of over 75 years.
To conclude, I share the advice that Mr. Benjamin imparted to me: “What you’re going through right now is equipping you to minister to yourself and others. You have to believe because scripture is God‘s word. He gave people a choice so that people weren’t robots.“
So, to Staff Sergeant John R Benjamin, from all of us at the Teen Scene, thank you for your service and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Congratulations on 100 years of life well lived!