Ardennes, 1944; Camden, 2024

April 1, 2024April 28, 2024

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Speaker Series Spring ‘24 Begins as the OMVA Brings a Bona Fide WWII Hero to Campus

By Julio Dagand

On Monday, March 25, Rutgers–Camden was paid a visit by a singular guest who told stories of a past that, for many students and faculty, only exists within the pages of history books or on movie screens.

Private First Class Jake Ruser, 99 years old, was barely old enough to drink when he enlisted in the United States Army. Assigned to serve as a medic, he went on to serve in one of the bloodiest and most well known campaigns in American military history–the Battle of the Bulge. There he helped make history, saved lives as a combat medic, and also helped the Allies in their fight to free Europe from Nazi oppression during the liberation of Normandy. Despite his age, he was enthusiastic about telling stories and answering questions from the eager and equally enthusiastic audience. The Rutgers Office of Military and Veteran Affairs encourages history buffs, those just curious to hear stories from real life heroes, and especially student veterans to keep on the lookout for the next installment in their Speaker Series, where they hope to feature Tuskegee Airmen.