WORLD WAR II - Pvt. Richard L. Beerbower

 

Private Richard Lowell Beerbower

A 1943 Farmer High School graduate, Richard Beerbower was popular in his drama endeavors and was a star basketball player who also participated in baseball. 

The son of Roy C. and Inez A. (Staup) Beerbower, Richard lost his father in 1928 when the he was about five years old.  His mother then married Clarence Beerbower, Roy's brother, in 1930, so it was Clarence who supported Richard throughout his life. 

Richard was born on October 21, 1925, and at 18, he filled out his draft registration. He had graduated and was employed at the Bard Manufacturing Company.

Richard traveled to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, to formally enlist in the Army on March 14, 1944. He was assigned to the 411th Infantry, Company I in the 103rd Infantry Division, known as the "Cactus Division."  Their motto, "Paratus Fevire" was "Ready to Strike."

The 411th, an intelligence reconnaissance unit moved through Europe, typically with the 409th and 410th as part of the 103rd Division.  In mid-November, 1944, the regiment received its first combat order from Headquarters. They had arrived in Marseilles, France, in late October, and had spent time settling in and creating a base of operations.

The 411th in France

Their order was to move out with the other two regiments who were to create cover fire while the 411th passed through them to meet the Germans.

Under heavy fire with artillery and machine guns, the Germans drove them back into the woods at Docelles, near Epinal. Their orders then were to seize and hold the high ground near the Moselle River, southwest of St. Die, France. They led an attack and met heavy resistance from the Germans. It was here that Private Richard Beerbower met his death on November 16, 1944.

In the December 18th, 1944, edition of the Crescent-News, on page 1, his passing was announced:

"FARMER YOUTH 50TH FATALITY

Pvt. Richard Beerbower, 19, Killed, Presumably in France

Pvt. Richard Beerbower, 19, an infantryman, was killed in action on November 16, presumably in France, his mother, Mrs. Inez Beerbower of Farmer was notified officially by the War Department in a message received Saturday evening.

Pvt. Beerbower became the 50th Defiance County man to lose his life in World War II.

Pvt. Beerbower entered the service March 22, 1944, going to Fort Benjamin Harrison. He was then transferred to Camp Wolters, Texas, and was home on furlough in August. He returned to Camp Maxie, Texas, then went to Camp Howze, and embarked from New York.  He was at sea on his 19th birthday last October 21. His last letter to his mother was dated November 1 from Marseille, France.

Pvt. Beerbower was a member of an intelligence reconnaissance unit.

Besides his mother, he leaves his stepfather, Clarence Beerbower; a brother, Robert, at home; and his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Buehrer, near Hicksville.  

He has five cousins in service: Francis Husted, three years in Navy; Roger T. Husted at Great Lakes; Jack Staup in Navy, all of Hicksville; Vernard Heisler Farmer, now in Italy, and Ellen Beerbower, Farmer, Nurses Cadet in training in Fort Wayne hospital.

Private Beerbower was the president of the Farmer high school class of 1943, a star on the basketball team for four years and also was a member of the Farmer high baseball team."

Private Richard L. Beerbower was buried in the Epinal American Cemetery in France.

A memorial plaque was placed in memoriam in the Farmer Cemetery.

 

Robert Carpenter, Researcher