World War II Honoree

John James Beach

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Caseville, Michigan

Honored By

Rebecca Beach & John Beach

Relationship

Daughter & Son

FIRST LIEUTENANT. DRAFTED IN THE SUMMER OF 1941 AND SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL LATE 1945. RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION IN 1942 AFTER COMPLETING OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. APPLIED FOR FLIGHT SCHOOL, BUT WAS REJECTED BECAUSE OF HIS VISION. ASSIGNED TO THE INFANTRY. HIS FIRST COMBAT WAS AT NORMANDY AS A RIFLE PLATOON LEADER IN THE INITIAL INVASION WAVE AT UTAH BEACH. WOUNDED IN THE THIRD DAY OF THE BATTLE AND RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART. SENT BACK INTO BATTLE AND WAS WOUNDED AGAIN AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, WHERE HE RECEIVED ANOTHER PURPLE HEART. OTHER NOTABLE BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS: BATTLE OF THE HUERTGEN FOREST, CROSSING OF BRIDGE AT REMAGEN BRIDGE INTO GERMANY, AND HIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST UNITS INTO THE DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP. AFTER NORMANDY, ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDED INFANTRY COMPANY COMMANDER AND FINALLY AS AN INTELLIGENCE STAFF OFFICER AT BATTALION HEADQUARTERS. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR FOR BRAVERY. RETURNED FROM EUROPE IN JULY 1945 AND WAS SCHEDULED FOR TRAINING FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN WHEN THE WAR ENDED.