07.24.2011
Fact Check: Did Obama’s Father Really Serve in World War II?
original article written by Net Advisor™
We saw numerous posts on a social network that President Obama’s father did not serve in World War II. President Obama claimed in 2008 that his father did serve in World War II. So we decided to check the facts. Here are our findings:
Obama: “My father served in World War II.”
— Source: CNN Live Video of Obama discussing U.S. Veteran’s benefits (2008)
FACTS:
1. Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was born in 1936 in Kenya, Africa (Source: en.wikipedia.org).
2. World War II started September 1, 1939 and ended September 2, 1945 (Source: en.wikipedia.org).
Aside from the fact that Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was not a citizen of the United States at the time in question, to make President Obama’s statement true, Obama’s father had to serve in World War II from the age of 3 and 9 years old.
3. According to en.wikipedia.org there are no reports of Kenya, African children ever being used to fight in a war (Source: en.wikipedia.org).
4. The youngest age of reported children or teens that fought during World War II was 16 years old. These were teens from Germany (Source: en.wikipedia.org).
5. As per United States Federal Law under Title 10 U.S.C., Section 505 (a) the minimum age for enlistment in the United States Military is 17 under parental consent and 18 years of age as a legal adult.
(a) The Secretary concerned may accept original enlistments in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, of qualified, effective, and able-bodied persons who are not less than seventeen years of age nor more than forty-two years of age. However, no person under eighteen years of age may be originally enlisted without the written consent of his parent or guardian, if he has a parent or guardian entitled to his custody and control.
— Title 10 U.S.C., Section 505 (a); Source: Cornell University Law School
Thus the facts would therefore suggest that Obama’s statement that his father served in World War II is false.
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On the Deficit (Update): Countdown to Deficit Cuts – But Still a Deficit: Update (07.20.2011)
Video Courtesy: YouTube/ CNN
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