Billier Beaver enlisted in the Army on July 14, 1943 at Fort Francis E. Warren, Cheyenne, WY. At the time he lived in Big Horn, WY and worked as a farm hand. He was single, without dependents.
He voluteered for parachutist duty and after completing basic training and jump school he was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Billie jumped into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Ten days later he was wounded in action and was hospitalized.
Having sufficioently recuperated, he also jumped into Holland for Operation Market-Garden on September 17, 1944 and was wounded for the second time on that same day.
He was evacuated to a hospital in the UK and January 19, 1945 he disembarked from the Queen Mary in NYC harbor. He was listed on the ship's manifest as "WIA GSW Pen W right chest, post operative" [i.e., wounded in action with a gunshot wound pentrating the wall of his right chest and having received surgery"]. His home state was shown as Wyoming.
Besides the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Mr. Beaver also earned two Bronze Service Awards (small stars for the Normandy and Holland Campaigns) as well as a Bronze Invasion Arrowhead for participation in the assault on the beachhead of Normandy. These three items were affixed to his European-african-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.
In addition he received the Presidential Unit Citation, the French Fouragerre and the Dutch Order of William Orange Lanyard.
NOTE: His grave marker idicates he was born on April 8, 1924 while Social Security records list the date as April 4, 1924. We presume the SS records to be the most accurate.
He voluteered for parachutist duty and after completing basic training and jump school he was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Billie jumped into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Ten days later he was wounded in action and was hospitalized.
Having sufficioently recuperated, he also jumped into Holland for Operation Market-Garden on September 17, 1944 and was wounded for the second time on that same day.
He was evacuated to a hospital in the UK and January 19, 1945 he disembarked from the Queen Mary in NYC harbor. He was listed on the ship's manifest as "WIA GSW Pen W right chest, post operative" [i.e., wounded in action with a gunshot wound pentrating the wall of his right chest and having received surgery"]. His home state was shown as Wyoming.
Besides the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Mr. Beaver also earned two Bronze Service Awards (small stars for the Normandy and Holland Campaigns) as well as a Bronze Invasion Arrowhead for participation in the assault on the beachhead of Normandy. These three items were affixed to his European-african-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.
In addition he received the Presidential Unit Citation, the French Fouragerre and the Dutch Order of William Orange Lanyard.
NOTE: His grave marker idicates he was born on April 8, 1924 while Social Security records list the date as April 4, 1924. We presume the SS records to be the most accurate.
Billier Beaver enlisted in the Army on July 14, 1943 at Fort Francis E. Warren, Cheyenne, WY. At the time he lived in Big Horn, WY and worked as a farm hand. He was single, without dependents.
He voluteered for parachutist duty and after completing basic training and jump school he was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Billie jumped into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Ten days later he was wounded in action and was hospitalized.
Having sufficioently recuperated, he also jumped into Holland for Operation Market-Garden on September 17, 1944 and was wounded for the second time on that same day.
He was evacuated to a hospital in the UK and January 19, 1945 he disembarked from the Queen Mary in NYC harbor. He was listed on the ship's manifest as "WIA GSW Pen W right chest, post operative" [i.e., wounded in action with a gunshot wound pentrating the wall of his right chest and having received surgery"]. His home state was shown as Wyoming.
Besides the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Mr. Beaver also earned two Bronze Service Awards (small stars for the Normandy and Holland Campaigns) as well as a Bronze Invasion Arrowhead for participation in the assault on the beachhead of Normandy. These three items were affixed to his European-african-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.
In addition he received the Presidential Unit Citation, the French Fouragerre and the Dutch Order of William Orange Lanyard.
NOTE: His grave marker idicates he was born on April 8, 1924 while Social Security records list the date as April 4, 1924. We presume the SS records to be the most accurate.
He voluteered for parachutist duty and after completing basic training and jump school he was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Billie jumped into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Ten days later he was wounded in action and was hospitalized.
Having sufficioently recuperated, he also jumped into Holland for Operation Market-Garden on September 17, 1944 and was wounded for the second time on that same day.
He was evacuated to a hospital in the UK and January 19, 1945 he disembarked from the Queen Mary in NYC harbor. He was listed on the ship's manifest as "WIA GSW Pen W right chest, post operative" [i.e., wounded in action with a gunshot wound pentrating the wall of his right chest and having received surgery"]. His home state was shown as Wyoming.
Besides the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Mr. Beaver also earned two Bronze Service Awards (small stars for the Normandy and Holland Campaigns) as well as a Bronze Invasion Arrowhead for participation in the assault on the beachhead of Normandy. These three items were affixed to his European-african-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.
In addition he received the Presidential Unit Citation, the French Fouragerre and the Dutch Order of William Orange Lanyard.
NOTE: His grave marker idicates he was born on April 8, 1924 while Social Security records list the date as April 4, 1924. We presume the SS records to be the most accurate.
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