WORLD WAR MEMORIAL - PFC Robert W. Beindorf

 

PFC Robert William Beindorf

A noted athlete at Defiance High School, Robert grew up in Defiance, the first child and oldest son of Otto and Cleora (Ort) Beindorf at 709 Nicholas Street, Defiance.

 After graduation, he worked at the Christ Diehl Brewing Company. He filled out his draft registration at age 18, as expected, and by April 2, 1943, he was in Toledo at the enlistment facility. Out of 98 men examined, 55 were accepted into military service. Robert was an infantry man when he left that day. After induction on April 9, he and the others were given a seven-day furlough and then left Defiance by Greyhound bus for Camp Perry on the shores of Lake Erie, near Port Clinton.  From there, Robert went on to training at Fargo, North Dakota and Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. He was sent overseas in November 1944.

At some point he landed in France, into the Alsace region where Germany had invaded. Robert was only twenty when he met his death on January 26, 1945, near Schweighhausen, France while in Company F, 232nd Infantry.

Village in Alsace, France

Suellen McDaniel described the day in her report for the posthumous Bronze Star Medal: 

"During the action around Schweighhausen, France, Private Beindorf was with forward elements of his company when the enemy launched a strong counterattack on our positions. Despite intense mortar, machine gun and small arms fire striking all about him. he remained in an exposed position in order to effectively direct and adjust mortar fire on the attacking enemy forces. He continued to expose himself until fatally wounded by mortar fragments. Private Beindorf's courageous self-sacrifice enabled his mortar section to play a major role in repulsing the determined enemy attack."

He was the recipient of the Purple Heart.

His obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on February 19, 1945 on the front page:

   "R.W. BEINDORF DIES IN FRANCE.

Former D.H.S. Gridder and Golden Glover Killed Jan. 26"                                                                                                         Pfc. Robert W. Beindorf, 20, former Defiance high school gridder, trackman, and golden gloves boxer, was killed in action in France Jan. 26, according to official notification received Friday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto W. Beindorf, 709 Nicholas Street.

He was an infantryman with the Seventh Army. Private Beindorf was inducted into the service April 9, 1943, and went overseas last November. He was Defiance County's 59th war fatality.

Surviving are his parents, his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ort, Hillsdale, Michigan; a sister, Marjorie,  and three brothers, Junior, Harold and Roger, all at home."

The remains of over 2700 soldiers who died in battle were sent home from Europe on the transport, Burma. Ohioans accounted for 150 of those, including Robert Beindorf. He was buried in Riverside Cemtery.

Riverside Cemetery

Robert Carpenter, Researcher