Posted on 07/29/2007 6:58:47 AM PDT by indcons
FORT MYERS, Fla.: Decades after he finished the requirements to earn the rank, an 88-year-old man was honored as an Eagle Scout on Saturday, making him possibly the oldest person to ever collect the honor.
Walter Hart couldn't become an Eagle Scout at the time he earned the rank because his service in World War II got in the way.
"I've been looking forward to this for a long time," said Hart, who lives in a retirement center in nearby Lehigh Acres.
Scout officials say he may be the oldest person to earn the honor.
Hart joined the Cub Scouts in 1928 in Malden, Mass., and earned 23 merit badges during his years as a Boy Scout, scouting officials said. Of the 120 merit badges available, 21 must be earned to qualify for Eagle Scout rank.
It all got set aside when he joined the Navy during World War II and served two years aboard the USS Alfred A. Cunningham.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
--Jimmy Valvano
God Love You Walter! You’re awesome!
How sweet! Kudos to you, Mr. Hart!
Wow, look at those OLD Merit Badges!
Great job, Walter, and thank you for serving!
Excellent post!! And thx for the ping Joe.
Scoutmaster: “Those biscuits look like charcoal, son.”
Scout: “That’s the way I like ‘em, sir.”
bump
Good for him!
May God bless all the Scouts. I recently had a bit of car trouble. Guess who stopped to see if he could help? An Eagle Scout of course.
one for the list
BTW that is not his old scout uniform that is a modern uniform with a vintage sash.
I noticed that and the fact that it is stil one size too small.
Scout Oath (or Promise)
On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
:)
Ping.
Thanks, Star, and pining a few Scouters on our end!
Look at the old badges! Even OURS aren’t that old!
One of my biggest regrets is that I was never a boy scout.
Good for you Walter.
Yeah, I seen that this morning on the local news up here.
Norman Rockwell was one of Scouting's most avid supporters. His Scouting posters are wonderful.
I just came across this story of the 88 year old Eagle Scout and saw your post. [May God bless all the Scouts. I recently had a bit of car trouble. Guess who stopped to see if he could help? An Eagle Scout of course.]
I have to tell you about my son, a Tenderfoot Scout. Last week, my kids and a neighbor managed to corner a runaway dog in our backyard. A few hours later, as he was outside waiting to get picked up by another Scout family for a Troop meeting (I was out of town) the dog’s owner drove by yelling the dogs name. In uniform, my Boy Scout walks up and tells her that he has rescued her lost dog and has it in the yard.
Pretty cool.
Among us old Scouts, popping shirt buttons is like a fine patina on an antique.
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