George "Bill" William Beasley

2021-03-21T10:51:39-05:00
Navy Badge
  • Name: George "Bill" William Beasley
  • Location of Birth: Calumet, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: October 16, 1924
  • Date of Death: KIA - May 28, 1945
  • Parents: George H. Beasley & Hiljah (Rantala) Beasley
  • High School and Class: 1942 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
  • College:
  • Highest Rank: ENSIGN
  • Branch: Navy
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: November 13, 1942
  • Place Sworn In: Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Date of Discharge:
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: George William Beasley
    Race: White
    Age: 18
    Birth Date: October 16, 1924
    Birth Place: Calumet, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Residence Place: Taconite, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: December 11, 1942
    Employer: School student, Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota
    Weight: _____
    Height: _____
    Complexion: Light
    Eye Color: Blue
    Hair Color: Blonde
    Next of Kin: Mr. and Mrs. George Beasley

    Newspaper article - May 1945 - Mr. and Mrs. George Beasley of Taconite received word from the commanding officer of the Naval Air Station located at Hutchinson, Kansas, that their son Ensign George W. (Billy) died Tuesday morning of extreme injuries suffered in a plane collision Monday night when two Liberator-type bombers collided in flight, taking the lives of 13 fliers. Ensign Beasley was taking his final training at Hutchinson, Kansas before going overseas. Born in Calumet, Minnesota on October 16, 1924, he would have reached his 21st birthday this October. He came to Taconite with his parents in the fall of 1930. He attended Taconite grade school and graduated from Greenway high school with the class of 1942. He attended the first semester of Itasca Junior college that fall and entered the Air Corps cadet training at St. Olaf College at Northfield, then to Minot, North Dakota, Minneapolis, Iowa City, Corpus Christi, Florida and then to Hutchinson where he was given special training to operate the B-24 Liberator type bomber. He received his wings in December of last year. While attending high school, George was active in football and basketball and was also a member of the Taconite junior baseball and hockey teams. In his quiet and winning way Billy Beasley was known and loved by all. Taconite mourns the death of its fourth son in this war. He leaves to mourn, his wife, the former Fay Marks of Grand Rapids, a five-months old son, Wm. Richard, his parents, two brothers, Seaman 1/c John of Gulf Point, Miss. and Jay, at home, and two sisters, Helen and Patricia.

    "Bill" Beasley is buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Coleraine, Minnesota (Block 39, Lot 40).

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy