World War II Combat Medic Celebrates 100th Birthday

On October, 6, 2023, I’ll be celebrating my 100^th birthday.  “And I’m still good-looking,” said Corporal Settimio (“Sam”) A. Renzi.  Here are my thoughts when I reflect back on some of the most significant events of my life.  I went to war without a gun.  I was a Combat Medic and as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, I didn’t believe in taking a life.  I was a “conscientious cooperator,” so we trained as medics. (A medic’s life on the front lines averaged two minutes.) I have been in three campaigns (battles) and was in the invasion of Southern France. On November 2, 1944 in the town of St. Die, France, I almost died because I stepped on a landmine rescuing five soldiers who had stepped on mines.  I was awarded a Purple Heart medal and a Bronze Star medal for bravery. I should never have been drafted in the army because I was enrolled in college in training as a theological student. One incident, etched in my memory, was when a roadblock was established at Saint Dizer highway where my outfit, Company A, shot and killed a 56-year old German Major General, Max Schmidt.  General Schmidt had fought in Russia and had conducted an Artillery School the past Autumn. I was admitted to four army hospitals and was discharged before the war was over. My injury was to my ankle and foot from stepping on a landmine.  A piece of shrapnel went up through my right heel and out the ankle. God took care of me.  Following my military service, I resumed my theological training and pastored for over 40 years in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.  For several years, I volunteered at Support Our Troops committee at Loma Linda University.  I’ve “already” had a good and meaningful life and for that, I am grateful to God! On October 6, 2023, I will be 100 years old.  My aim is to outIive Methusaleh in the Bible, who lived to 969 years old.  I don’t know when the Lord will call me, but if He does, I’m thinking I won’t answer the phone.