The Bob Dole Story & Photo Album Introduction      He has been called "a towering figure" and "the most enduring Republican leader of the twentieth century." The Bob Dole Story begins on the great plains, in a small town in America's breadbasket - a humble place where everybody knows each other by name, where families still go to church every Sunday, where grown men and women are not embarrassed by their love for God and country, and where the community doesn't think twice about rallying around a neighbor in need. It is from those roots deep in the Western Kansas soil that he still draws strength. Growing Up in Small Town Kansas      Robert Joseph Dole was born on July 22, 1923 in a small plains town in Western Kansas called Russell. He grew up with his mother and father, two sisters, Gloria and Norma Jean, and a brother, Kenny, in a small frame house. Bob Dole's father, Doran, ran a cream-and-egg stand and his mother, Bina, sold sewing machines. During the Depression, the Dole family pulled together to get by the most difficult financial times. To make ends meet, the Doles moved into the basement of their home and rented out the rest of the house. Young Bob went to work as a soda jerk at Dawson's Drug Store in Russell. In those early years, Bob Dole learned the value of hard work, the worth of a dollar earned, and the need to be financially responsible. An All-American Boy      Neighbors and friends recall Bob Dole growing up as "an all-American boy." He was an athlete, playing end for the Russell football team, running the 880 in track, and playing basketball. A friend recently recalled how Bob "ran to and from school with a brick in either hand to work out." His quick wit and keen sense of humor made him popular with his classmates. Friends even remember him doing "a pretty impressive jitter-bug" at a high school dance. Growing up in small-town Russell instilled respect for honesty, community, and patriotism in Bob Dole. World War II: Heroism and Tragedy      In 1942, at the age of 19, Bob Dole answered the call to serve his country by joining the Army to fight in World War II. He became a second lieutenant in the Army's 10th Mountain Division, and in the spring of 1945, found himself in the hills of Italy fighting the Nazi Germans. In the middle of heavy shelling, Lieutenant Dole saw his radioman go down. As he crawled out of his foxhole to try and rescue the wounded soldier, he was hit by Nazi machine gun fire. After the battle, medics gave him a shot of morphine and marked his forehead with an "M" written in his own blood. He wasn't expected to survive. A Decorated Hero      Bob Dole was never one to give up, and he did not give up then. He survived his wounds, although they left him with a shattered right shoulder and paralyzed from the neck down. He was twice decorated for heroic achievement, receiving two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star Medal. Courage: On the Road to Recovery      It took nearly three years and nine operations for Bob Dole to rehabilitate. He had to improvise ways to strengthen his withered arms, and, with the loss of use in his right hand, he had to learn to write left-handed. In these trying years, the people of Russell stood by Dole both financially and spiritually and he never forgot what that help meant. Help Pours In...      The story has almost become legend now: how the people of Russell chipped in a dollar here, thirty cents there, to fill a cigar box at Dawson's Drug store with $1,800 to pay Bob Dole's hospital. While Chicago surgeon, Dr. Hampar Kelikian volunteered to perform seven corrective surgeries at no charge. Donations were tracked on slips of paper and Bob Dole still keeps the cigar box and the receipts in his office desk as a permanent reminder of the generosity and love of the people of Russell. A New Goal      During his nearly four years of recovery, it was clear that he would never realize his boyhood dream of becoming a doctor, so Bob Dole set his sights on a new goal. He planned to study law and look for ways to give back to the people who had done so much for him. In 1952 he earned his law degree for Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. A Call to Public Service      When he returned home to Russell, local leaders suggested to Dole that one way he could repay his community was by using his leadership, determination, and intelligence while serving in elected office. They persuaded him to run for state legislature, and he won. He went to serve as county attorney.        Finally, in 1968, Bob Dole ran for United States Senate and won. In the 1970's, Senator Dole rocketed to national prominence as Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1971. Then, in 1976, President Gerald Ford tapped Senator Dole to be his Vice Presidential running mate. A Happy Time      The mid-1970's also marked a happy personal time for Bob Dole. That's when he met and married a bright and beautiful woman from North Carolina named Elizabeth Hanford. A Republican leader in her own right, Elizabeth Dole has been the Secretary of Transportation for President Reagan and the Secretary of Labor for President Bush. She is currently serving as President of the American Red Cross. Republican Leader      The 1980's marked Bob Dole's rise to the pinnacle of leadership with his Republican leadership in the Senate and in Washington. Dedicated to serving those who have helped him along the way, Senator Dole has never forgotten the people he represents. A Leader in the Senate      In 1984, Bob Dole was elected Senate Majority Leader and continued in that leadership role where he set a record as the longest serving Republican leader. On June 11, 1996, he resigned from the U.S. Senate in order to devote all of his time and energy to his campaign for President of the United States. Dole for President      As the 1996 Republican Presidential Nominee, Senator Bob Dole offered a vision for America's future that called for reining in the federal government, reconnecting government with traditional values of the American people, and restoring American prestige and supremacy abroad. While he attracted 41% of the popular vote, he lost the election to incumbent Bill Clinton.  On January 17, 1997 Senator Bob Dole was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of our Government. It is awarded by the President of the United States to those persons whom he deems to have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interest of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The medal may be awarded to citizens of other nations or may be awarded posthumously.  Today, Senator Bob Dole is senior advisor to the Washington, DC law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson, and hand. He serves as the National Chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign for the monument to be constructed in Washington, DC and the National Chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons in former Yugoslavia. Medal of Freedom Citation to BOB DOLE From foreign battlefields to the halls of Congress, Bob Dole has served his country with courage, dedication, and grace. Overcoming his own adversity, he rose to become a champion for the disabled and America's farmers, for preserving Social Security and promoting fiscal responsibility, and for strengthening our global leadership for freedom, peace, and prosperity. A man of the heartland, he brought common sense, uncommon skill, and a prairie wit to the United States Senate, where he was the longest serving Republican leader in history. Soldier, statesman, and patriot, Bob Dole has created a record of achievement that will stand forever as tribute to the strengths and values that have made America great.