Lee E. Beahler, Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army

Lee E. Beahler, Jr. was born on 21 August 1921 in Albuquerque, NM, the son of Lee E. and Margaret King Beahler. He grew up in El Paso, TX, and attended the Texas School of Mines.

Beahler enlisted in the U.S. Army after Pearl Harbor and, during World War II, served in campaigns in North Africa, Italy and France.

In September 1950, First Lieutenant Lee E. Beahler, Jr. was serving with Company D, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 2 September, when an enemy force supported by artillery and armor continued an attack that had already overrun three infantry battalions, the 2nd Engineer Battalion was rushed into the line to hold the vital communications center of Yongsan, Korea, which was the key to the pass leading back to Miryang on the Pusan-Taegu lifeline. With other elements of the battalion fighting as infantry south of the town, Company D was given a "stand or die" mission overlooking Yongsan itself. Deployed without supporting artillery or mortars, the unit beat off two enemy attacks at a cost of twelve dead and eighteen wounded, including all of the company officers except for 1LT Beahler. Assuming command of the battered and shaken unit, he rushed from man to man directing the fire of their small-arms, automatic-weapons, and rocket launchers in such a manner as to regain fire superiority. When the enemy attacked a third time and entered the town with tanks, 1LT Beahler exposed himself to the heavy fire directed at him and maneuvered his men to better positions where they were able to destroy one enemy tank with a rocket fired at close range. 1LT Beahler moved up and down his line inspiring his men to pour devastating fire upon the advancing North Koreans until the attack was broken up and driven back. By his superb leadership and aggressive actions Yongsan was saved and the threat to the whole position was eliminated. This earned 1LT Beahler the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

During his 28-year career as an Army Engineer, he also served as an Assistant Army attache' at the U.S. embassy in Saigon, Vietnam.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Corps of Engineers) Lee E. Beahler, Jr., United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of Company D, 2d Engineer Combat Battalion, 2d Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Beahler distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Yongsan, Korea, on 2 September 1950. When an enemy force supported by artillery and armor continued an attack which had already overrun three infantry battalions, the 2d Engineer Battalion was rushed into the line to hold the vital communications center of Yongsan, which was the key to the pass leading back to Miryang on the Pusan-Taegu lifeline. With other elements of the battalion fighting as infantry south of the town, Company D was given a "stand or die" mission overlooking Yongsan itself. Deployed without supporting artillery or mortars, the unit beat off two enemy attacks, but at a cost of twelve dead and eighteen wounded, including all of the company officers except for Lieutenant Beahler. Assuming command of the battered and shaken unit, he rushed from man to man directing the fire of their small-arms, automatic-weapons, and rocket launchers in such a manner as to regain fire superiority. When the enemy returned to the attack for a third time, and actually penetrated into the town with tanks, Lieutenant Beahler, fearlessly exposing himself to the heavy fire being directed at him, maneuvered his men to more advantageous positions from which they soon destroyed one of the enemy tanks with a rocket fired at close range. Ranging up and down his line, this Engineer Officer inspired his men to pour a devastating fire upon the advancing North Koreans until the attack was broken up and the enemy driven back. By his superb leadership and aggressive actions throughout the entire day, the town was saved and the threat to the whole position was eliminated.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 59 (February 8, 1951)

Family

Lee married Anne Anderson on 22 October 1947 in Seoul, Korea. They had two children, a daughter, Chris and son, John.

Death

Lieutenant Colonel Lee E. Beahler, Jr. died on 30 July 2008 in Colorado Springs, CO.