When Robert “Bob” Hammel was drafted by the Army Special Services in 1943 to be a part of bomb disposal, he was told most of his squad would never make it home. With an 80 percent casualty rate in this line of service, Hammel is one of the lucky few who lived to tell the tale.
Hammel's memorabilia
Joining the centenarian club this past November, Hammel and his family celebrated with the countless Grove City residents he impacted, including Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage.
The early years
Before spending most of his life in Ohio, Hammel was born in West Virginia on Nov. 30, 1923.
His daughter, Jan Hammel, says he spent his childhood running around the mountainsides playing and having fun.
Shortly after his 10th birthday, his mother passed away, leaving Hammel and his younger sister to care for one another while their father worked during the day. A few years later in 1936, Hammel moved to Columbus after his father found a job in the area.
Little did he know that around the time he turned 15 years old, he would meet a lovely lady named Della Marie.
Hammel and Della Marie
“Now, we weren’t sweethearts, we were just friends at that time,” Hammel says. “We went through junior high school together, but I moved on to high school because I was older than her.”
As graduation drew near, the couple knew they would have to act quickly given the likelihood that Hammel would be drafted. Over the summer of 1942, the two got married. A few short months passed before Hammel was drafted into the Army.
Although he had his duties to fulfill, his wife was able to join him since he was in the special services and they lived together in a house off-base. Hammel took classes at a technical school in Aberdeen, Maryland to learn how to handle and diffuse bombs.
Military to electricity
Hammel was stationed at Fort Jay on Governors Island, New York, where he stayed throughout his time in the Army.
At the time he was drafted, bomb-diffusing teams were in high demand and required a skilled hand. During his service, Hammel defused hundreds of bombs, including a German bomb that was roughly six feet long with two fuses.
Despite low survival rates in his field, Hammel beat the odds and served in the Army for three years before being discharged in 1946.
By the end of his Army career, Hammel had earned the title of a Technical Sergeant, which is now equal to a Sergeant First Class, and his company was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Returning to civilian life, Hammel had an aptitude for all things math and science so he got an apprenticeship and began working in the electrical and power industry. This eventually led to a nearly 30-year career working for various companies including Kool-Aid, David Davies Electrical Company and White-Westinghouse Appliances.
Hammel has always been a learn-on-the-job type, proven by the fact that he worked his way up through the ranks at White-Westinghouse. After a few years on the job, he was promoted to maintenance supervisor before being put in charge of an entire plant, all without ever finishing high school.
One of the biggest challenges he faced during his career came when the Clean Air Act of 1970 was passed. The act meant things would have to change at the coal-fired plant Hammel led because a violation of sulfur emissions could now result in large fines.
Hammel faced the problem head-on by setting up a lab to test the coal they used and researching where to find clean coal. By the end of his career, his family says, he ran the first clean emissions plant in Columbus.
Hammel medically retired due to extreme stress around the time he reached 60 years old, and was happy to spend more time with his wife and kids.
Love through the end
Although his career was over, Hammel stayed busy bowling and golfing before taking part-time work doing equipment repairs. He also loved working in the yard and was known throughout the neighborhood for how beautiful his family’s property looked.
Hammel's Family, 1983
As time progressed and Della’s mobility and health began to decline, Hammel cared for her for several years before the two moved into an assisted living space in 2015. While there, he continued to care for her the best he could, even after she moved to Meadow Grove a few years later.
“He was there every day, sitting in his chair right by her bed, seven days a week, still taking care of her,” Gary Hammel, their son, says. “He was by her side through her dying day.”
On Feb. 14, 2019, Della died in her sleep and Hammel says he will never forget the time they spent together.
“I lived with her for 80 years and I would take her for another 80,” Hammel says.
Hammel still finds joy in his everyday activities, from driving to the grocery store to enjoying a bite of chocolate, as well as trips to West Virginia and Lake Erie with family.
Birthday to Remember
Bob Hammel celebrated his 100th birthday at Fryer Park this past November with about 100 family members, friends and special guests, including the American Legion 523 Honor Guard and Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage.
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com
