Bob is the son of Francis P.
Sickinger and Mary Raimonda and the grandson of Catherine Tinneny of Greenock,
Scotland and Philadelphia. He grew up in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia
and was inducted into the United States Army in November 1944. After
completing infantry training at Camp Blanding, Florida, Bob sailed from Fort
Lawton, Washington aboard the USS Calamares to the Pacific Theater of War,
where he served on the island of Leyte in the Philippine Islands. During the
voyage to Leyte, Bob was given the temporary rank of acting first sergeant for
the trip. Such promotees were referred to as "salt water
non-coms". When he returned to the States after the war ended, he was
assigned at Stoneman, California, Crowder, Missouri and Fort Lee, Virginia.
During his time in the Army his assignments included infantryman, company
clerk, dental assistant, radiology technician, bartender, football team member
and acting first sergeant. Bob was honorably discharged from the Army with the
rank of T/5 in 1947.
