Interview with Robert Rupp, 2015 July 3

Good afternoon. Today is July 3rd, 2015. My name is Genesis Lara. Today we're here with Mr Robert Drop talking about his experiences in the Panama Canal Zone. So thank you so much for agreeing to do this very quick interview on the spot. So can you start by telling us the when and where were you born?

I was born in Panama on July 21st. 1947 1947. Okay, So your parents worked in the zone, actually, uh, what's unique about my history is is that at the time I was born, my father was a medical doctor working in private practice in Panama, and my mother is Panamanian, and I was born in a Panamanian hospital, so I was not in the canal zone.

Um 1955 when I was eight years old. My father took a job working in the Panama Canal Hospital, and that then we moved into the canal zone. So from the time I was eight until the time I graduated from high school and went away to college, I lived in the canal zone.

How did you get that end up in Panama during World War two. He was stationed. There s o. He arrived in Panama in 1946. Okay. And so you said your mom, Miss Panamanians. How is that? Like? I mean, did she tried? Did you learn Spanish for English?

For Well, because my father was working in Panama at the time I was born. Spanish is my first language. Uh, English is my second language, but so every the language that was spoken in my house was Spanish until we moved into the canal zone. And then when I started going to Canal Zone schools is when I started learning English and speaking more English than I did Spanish.

Okay. And what high school did you go, Tonto? I graduated from Balboa High School in 1965 I'm here for my 50th classroom 50. We're interviewing a group of you guys on Saturday about your union. So you were actually there during the riots in 64? I was there during the riots in 1964.

I was a junior in Balboa High School, so I mean, can you tell us anything about what was it like? Well, I think you know, first of all, it was my opinion that that the Republic of Panama was really just looking for an excuse to have riots.

Um, and the flag issue just presented a perfect excuse, but the whole issue was I think again, there had been a lot of problems between the United States and Panama. The issue of sovereignty was always a very big issue, and but the fact that, uh, the fact that the riots occurred so quickly after the flag raising tobacco led me to believe that they were anticipating and waiting for something that happened, and we're ready for it.

So e think it was a chapter in a chapter in Panama US relations. That was probably not the best chapter, but it was the end result. I think a lot of good came out of it. You know, the air was cleared and and a lot of things got fixed.

That probably should have been fixed a little earlier. Okay. Do you want to elaborate on any of those things? I got fixed. Well, I think, you know, for many, many years, I think Panama resented having having the canal zone. Uh, well, let me just tell you a little story, okay?

My mother was Panamanian and one of her sisters, um, would not ever drive into the canal zone because she was afraid she might get stopped by a by a US policemen. So whenever I wanted our aunt to come over and have dinner with us, I would have to drive into Panama, pick her up and bring her in because she would.

She was just afraid to drive into the canal zone because it was it was It was like a foreign country to her. So I think, you know, um, a lot of a lot of things, A lot of things, but anyway, how did your mom feel about all of this?

While my mom eventually became a US citizen on and she and my father left Panama and went to the United States in 1977 or 78. And, you know, I think she was always a Panamanian in her heart, But citizenship? Why? She became a U. S. Citizen, and I think she always my mom always felt that the United States really was was a wonderful country and that Panama should have been, you know, probably a little bit more accepting of the of the United States, So Okay, so when you graduated high school, what were your impressions of the world of the time?

What was going on for you? Vietnam? Yeah. So when I graduated from high school, the big thing was the Vietnam War was on Because my father was a US citizen. I was a U S citizen and therefore subject Thio compulsory service. So I went to college because I got a deferment.

And I figured that by the time I ended up graduating from college, Vietnam would be over. I was wrong. Eso I graduated from college in 1969 and got drafted. Eso I didn't serve in the military, but I didn't go to Vietnam. Actually, I was very lucky.

I got stationed in Panama E Okay, High school. I'm sorry, What college did you graduate from? West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia. And what was your major? I majored in journalism journalism. Okay. And then you you served in Panama. I served in Panama. What was that like?

It was wonderful because of my journalism background. And because I was perfectly bilingual. There was a slot open at the American Forces Radio and Television service and s Oh, my I was given the job to do news in Spanish for they, for the for the area in Panama at that time in the early seventies, there were many, many foreign students in Panama from Latin American militaries that we're studying there.

So they had a requirement for the for the for the military radio and TV station toe have ah, bilingual broadcaster. So I was an airman in the Air Force, and I used to do the news every night in Spanish for the folks there. Wow. Okay, e mean, what was that like for you to go back?

It was amazing. It was amazing. And in fact, you know that Z What? Most of the people here in this Panama Canal reunion remember me as is the guy who used to do the news. Hey. Oh, because it's a very specific type of experience. Oh, yeah, it was.

But it was nice because it was, You know, I got Thio. I got to use my journalism skills. Although I didn't study broadcast journalism, it was print journalism, but that worked out pretty well. And so it was a lot of fun. How long were you there for?

I was there For two years I have served in Panama from 1970 to 1972. And then I got sent toe Iceland, Keflavik, Iceland, where I served. I finished my service there in 1970 four, or something like that. 73 a half. Okay. Then returned to Panama, returned to Panama and got married, then came back to the States and went to graduate school, Got a masters in business and then went back to Panama again and finish my career and retired from the Panama Canal in 1999.

Okay, so you were there when the treaty was signed? Yes. And you were throughout most of the trans transition period. I was there during the transition. So can you tell us about what was it like working there with knowing that I was gonna end and trying Thio use that?

Well, I had I had a very interesting job. I was working in the by this time. I was I was the executive director of the Panama Area Personnel Board and one of the functions of this board waas to ensure that we had the proper personnel policies.

So that we could hire Panamanians, train them so that they could successfully take over the Panama Canal. And it was extremely interesting. And, uh, I mean, I had a great time. It was Panama has always been. I'll consider it my home forever. And all my kids were born in Panama.

Yeah, my father is still alive. He's 97 years old, and I go down to Panama once every two or three months to see him. So e 98 in August. Wow, that was gonna be o e. Um, But then I guess my question is kind of off.

What did it feel to be in that transition period and training these people, you know? Okay, from my perspective, from my perspective, it's a little different, I think, than most because of the fact that I'm half Panamanian and hack us. It probably was not as difficult for me as many other people.

E mean, I have 140 cousins in Panama. I mean, I'm just a comfortable being in Panama, as I am in the United States of the Canal Zone. So the transition for me, what's let me see what wife is saying? Okay, was he here? I'll tell her I'll be there in 15 minutes.

Yeah, okay. Excuse me. This is that's fine. It's your wife. Okay? Yeah. Clark. Go, go, go. Okay, So the transition, um, the transition was I mean, it was it was hard work for me. I mean, I was always busy at work, but but we had a wonderful time.

I mean, even as a lot of things that we were used to, we saw going away. Um, the new things that were coming in, we're not really that bad. And like I said, I I just I never saw it as a problem. Um, and, uh, we always worked very hard to make sure that the transition would work and that in the year 1999 the canal would be successfully transferred over.

From my perspective, the most important mission was was for the canal to continue being successful for the Republic of Panama. I was you know, I was never really politically oriented. I was just did my job and I had a good time doing it. But the wonderful part about all of this Waas is that the Republic of Panama really never changed during the transition, you still had the wonderful beaches.

You still had the fishing in the lakes. You still have the golf courses. You had all of the things that I've really enjoyed doing all my life. And it was very nice. Okay, Aan den. You had your Children in Panama? Has won. All of my Children were born in Panama.

Okay. How many Children do you have? I have three Children. They were born in 80 83 86. Okay, so that makes him what? 35. 32? 2900 s o they had They spent most of her childhood and Panama. Yeah, they did. They did. And they still go back and visit their grandfather.

And they all love Panama E so Well, I guess my question. What was it like being able to share with your Children? The same things that you enjoy? What you were growing up there? Well, it was wonderful, and they they've all enjoyed it, too. But I think like I said, a lot of a lot of people that lived in the canal zone, I don't think they got to enjoy Panama in many, many ways.

But the difference. Waas. Is that because my mother was Panamanian? I wasn't just kind of limited to what was going inside. That the area that canal zone I was always involved in, you know, social life in Panama. And I was always doing things in Panama. I was bilingual, and so my life was a little bit different.

It was probably I had the best of both worlds because I was able to move. I was able to move from the canal zone into Panama and back and forth, and it was seamless for me. You know, I could be at my high school reunion drinking beer with all of my canal zone buddies one night.

And the next night I could be Mama No fiesta. It wasn't a problem. So it was for me. I think it might be a little different than many of the folks that you might be interviewed. Okay, so they said you go back every 1 to 3 months.

Well, I do now because my father is still alive. So I go down there, e eso you really don't have much of a difference. And when you go back with well, there's a tremendous difference in the in the Republic of Panama. It has grown tremendously. I mean, when I left, when I left there when we left there in 1999 and came back to the United States after the after the turn over the canal, Panama was it was a cosmopolitan city, no doubt, and it had some skyscrapers and things.

But now it is just it is. 15 years later, 16 years later, it is a huge metropolis, and it has changed considerably. There's many of the reverted areas that used to be part of the canal zone have been rebuilt, but the beaches and the interior of the republic.

It's still Z, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, no doubt. All right, have you been dependent? I've never been to kind of a Moscow. I want to go my foundation, the Dominican Republic. So obviously I've been to something that mean go. I've been to Cuba, and that's pretty much about a lot of a lot of people have told I've never been to the Dominican Republic, but they tell me that.

But they tell me that it's very similar to Panama, the beaches and so on. and so forth and the people e okay. And then I will ask, What would you think? It's the biggest legacy of the Panama Canal Zone community. The biggest legacy. I think it's the canal.

Okay, I think I think at the end of the day, three United States and, uh, and the people who worked in the Canal Zone, both Americans and Panamanians built, uh, what was considered to be for many years, the eighth wonder of the world. And until you actually saw it, how how it worked and how efficiently and it worked and what a wonderful thing it did for the world.

I mean, it's just it gives me goose bumps just to talk about it. And it's really the source of pride of my life to say that I worked for the Panama Canal. You know, it was like I've had many jobs in my life, and, uh, and sometimes when you're working at a particular job, you're in a cubicle.

You're doing your work on. Deer is a certain amount of satisfaction. But there's a frustration in that. Sometimes you wonder if what you're doing really is what's in the best interest or how How do I fit in in this job that I'm doing for those for those of us that worked on the Panama Canal, The beauty of it Waas at least in mind.

You waas no matter what you did, whether you were a clerk or whether you were a machinist or whether you were a pilot or you were a secretary, no matter what you did, you could always look out the window of your house or your office and you'd see ships going by.

And there was always that wonderful reminder that that's why we're here. And you could see the fruit of your work no matter what it waas you could see those ships going through. And it was I mean, I wouldn't trade my life for anything. It was really wonderful.

Wow, that's that's incredible. On black specially you that you said you're part of both communities was so special for you about the Zodiac community that you still come back to all these reunions that they happen. People at the end of the day, friendships and people you know all of these things that we did when we were younger and and, uh, not only in play or in work experiences we shared.

It's just wonderful to see people and say, Hey, remember that night 35 years ago and you know, I mean, that's that's what it's all about, you know, is people. And then if you could describe your experience something in the zone and working for this one word, what word would it be?

Oh, that's tough. That's tough. But if I say beer interview over e questions, investors e a. I'll take that one and way, Mel, a bad coffee. So they interviews to stay with you for your records. Is there anything you would want it I had, like for your kids to listen to of like what it's meant for your family?

Well, I've I mean, all I could tell you is that if I had to live my life over again, I wouldn't change a single thing. It was it was wonderful that all my kids were born down there and you know, not much else to say. Hey, would you like to add anything I did because I had some friends now, here at E, went with just through with yeah, and Ryan has a lot of friends in Panama.

Just wow, that's really nice. E. In New York and Miami, if you don't have that sense of family and permanent, you know, it's just, you know, in the Latin, in the Latin culture family is very important. Yeah, eso we're very We're very tight family. Why so all right.

And all of us will be here. Except for my daughter, who is in San Francisco. She can't make it this time. But my son's coming in this afternoon with way. Think. All right, Well, I don't have any other questions. I don't know. There's anything else you would like to add.

Okay. All right. Well, then this concludes this interview.