BEAL, DONALD E Jan. 1, 1942 age 22 DNB San Bernardino Co.

DONALD E. BEAL, Sept. 11, 1920 Michigan d. Jan. 1, 1942 Died Non Battle Barstow, Ca

Sgt. 20630604 125^th Michigan Infantry

Buried Grand Lawn Cemetery

Parents: William F. & Inez Cassie (Van DeCar)
Siblings: Russell (drafted), Charles A. (service 1941-1945), Inez May

William F. was born 1892 in Cleveland and Cassie or Inez (her documents vary or choice of name) was born 1897 in Indiana  but they married 1914 in Ingham Co., Michigan.  She was 17 years old however mothers consent was on file. Father had been in a Private in the National guard for 3 years when he registered for the WWI draft. He was an auto trimmer at the Lansing Olds Plant at the time. That factory opened in 1902; it was the longest-operating automobile factory in the United States when it closed on May 6, 2005. The last Oldsmobile auto, a 2004 Alero, was built here (anyone even remember that model?).

The family moved to Detroit and in the 1930’s lived at 22014 W. McNichols, corner of Lahser; lived close to the old Hinkle house, all these house torn down years ago as that corner became more commercial.  
Don attended Redford for 3 years, was in the ROTC in 1937.  He worked as a paper bag machinist then a couple years in Oct 1940 enlisted in the Michigan National Guard, the 125^th Infantry. Wonder if he was following his father’s lead? Small fellow at 5’4” 122 lbs.

On 15 October 1940 the Regiment was inducted into Federal Service and on 8 December 1941 transferred from the 32^nd Infantry Division to General Headquarters Reserve in Pomona California. During WWII the 125th Infantry guarded critical installations and was moved around the West Coast of the US. On 20 September 1945 the Regiment was inactivated and transferred back to the Michigan National Guard.

Sgt. Beal didn’t serve overseas, but he served with honor and bravery. The San Bernardino County Sun of Feb 27, 1942 tells the story:

The “23 year old soldier, whose death was the first traffic fatality of the year in San Bernardino County, was cited for bravery in line of duty in saving the lives of a number of men in a truck convoy and suffering fatal injured himself. Sgt. Beal, whose home was in Detroit, was killed Jan 1 on U.S. Highway 66 near Daggett. He was in charge of a convoy of army trucks which had halted at the side of the highway while en route from Camp Seifert, Nev., to Camp Haan. Noticing a civilian auto speeding toward the trucks, Sgt. Beal dashed into its path to warn his men of danger. When the last of the men were off the highway, he darted between two trucks. The oncoming car, driven by Orin Murphy of Daggett, crashed into the last truck of the convoy and Sgt. Beal was crushed between two trucks which were moved 50 feet by the impact. Knowing he was probably fatally injured, Sgt. Beal showed concern only for the successful completion of his mission and directed the second in command to proceed with the convoy, refusing to permit any help to himself. He died in the office of a Barstow physician five hours after the accident.”

The accident happened Jan 1, 1942 - Pearl Harbor was attacked Dec. 7, 1941.  

Developed in November 1940 as a Coast Artillery Antiaircraft Replacement Training Center on property adjacent to March Army Air Field, Camp Haan was opened in January 1941. By November 1941 most of the men who trained here had been assigned to coastal defenses in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay area. When the attack came on Pearl Harbor a month later, and fears of an invasion of the U.S. west coast were at their height, it would have been these men who would have been our first line of defense had it happened.

Certainly there’s been much development around Daggett, but it likely looked as barren in 1941 as it does now.