Beiderlinden, William Arthur.

Beiderlinden, William Arthur, born on 04-03-1895 in Springfield, Missouri, to William Otho Beiderlinden, 1865–1928 and Ella May, born Stover Beiderlinden, 1867–1958. William had two sisters Inez Marie Beiderlinden Libbey, 1898–1993 and Eleanor Alberta Beiderlinden, 1906–1907. He attended Drury College in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri, from 1913 to 1917 as a pre-medical student. As a student, Beiderlinden was a member of Lambda Epsilon, a scientific honorary society, and served as the president of that organization during his senior year. As a junior, he was a member of the yearbook board. He was also a member of Obelisk, a local fraternity that joined the Sigma.
After graduation, he enlisted and served with the Missouri National Guard until 26-11-1917, when he was commissioned a first lieutenant of the Field Artillery. His wife was Ann Symon Beiderlinden ( marriage on Thanksgiving Day in 1917). Ann Symon died very old age 90, on 29-08-1981. On Christmas Eve 1917 he sailed to France for duty with the American Expeditionary Forces. During World War I, he studied at the Field Artillery School at Samur, served as an instructor at the Coast Artillery School and fought on several sectors of the front with the 30^th Separate Artillery Brigade. He returned to the United States in March 1919 and was commissioned in the Regular Army. In January 1944, the 44^th Infantry Division  under Major General James I. Muir , Muir died age 76, in 1964,

  The motto of the division “Prepared left for Louisiana Manoeuvres to practice tactics, coordination and team play. When they left Louisiana, they were ready to face the enemy on his own ground. They soon got their chance and early on the morning of 05-09-1944 the division left Boston harbour on board the U.S.S. Monticello bound for Cherbourg. Under General Beiderlinden’s leadership, the 44^th Division Artillery played a major role in the success, during this period, the division served with the Seventh Army in the Northern France, Rhineland, Central European, and Ardennes-Alsace Campaigns. The motto of the division “Prepared in all things” and their casualties in 190 days of comabat, killed 1.008, wounded 4.650, missing 434, captured 19, battle casualties 6.111, non battle casualties 7.637, total 13.748 and percent ot T/O strength 97.6%. Beiderlinden had succeeded Major General William Frisshe Dean Sr. Dean)   Bitter fighting against savage enemy onslaughts, near Saarbrücken. The war in Europe drew to a close, the 44^th crossed the Rhine and turned southward to pursue the scattered remnants of the Wehrmacht into Heidelberg. Heidelberg, Albert Speer   Adolf Hitler´s favourite architect and his wife Magarete, lived and are buried in Heidelberg , which was the one large German city to escape the war virtually unscathed.

               

The negotiations of Beiderlinden and the German hospital commander, Colonel Niessen, assured the survival of the city. Critical to this success was Beiderlinden’s knowledge of the German language and his familiarity with the city. After WWII, General Beiderlinden served in a variety of roles including commander of Third Army. Between becoming operational in Normandy on 01-08-1944 and the end of hostilities on 09-05-1945, the Third Army was in continuous combat for 281 days. In that time, it crossed 24 major rivers and captured 81.500 square miles (211.000 km²) of territory, including more than 12.000 cities and towns. The Third Army claimed to have killed, wounded, or captured 1.811.388 German soldiers, six times its strength in personnel. Fuller’s review of Third Army records differs only in the number of enemy killed and wounded, stating that between 01-08-1944 and 09-05-1945, 47.500 of the enemy were killed, 115.700 wounded, and 1.280.688 captured, for a total of 1.443.888.  Beiderlinden retired  in 1955.

Death and burial ground of Beiderlinden, William Arthur.

High decorated, General Beiderlinden was a gourmet cook, a master gardener, and an expert woodworker. In the room hung a sign, “There is no fun like work”

He passed away at his home in Arlington at the old age 86,  on 12-04-1981. General Beiderlinden is buried with his wife Ann, born Symon, who died old age 90 on 22-08-1881, on Arlington Cemetery in Section 6. In Section 6 are also buried Major General, worked with Garand on the Development of the machinegun, Guy Drewry, Lieutenant General, Commander XIII Corps, Alvan Gillem, Infantry Lieutenant General, Commander 1^st Infantry Division,

 nickname “The Big Red One” present on D-Day, Clarence Huebner Casualties of the 1^st during their European campaign, 4.411 killed in action, 7.201 wounded in action, 1.056 missing or died of wounds. Aslo buried here, Major General, Chief Allied Military Government, Edgar Hume.