Beitler, Francis F.

FRANCIS FREDERICK BEITLER

1st. SERGEANT
U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS

Francis F. Beitler Was born in Rockford, Ohio on July 12th, 1910. His parents were Clarence and Christena Beitler and he was the grandson of Lawrence Beitler. He had 3 brothers and sisters, Viola, Thurman, and Floyd Beitler. He was baptized at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 14 days after he was born. Francis attended and graduated from Kirkland Township High School in Adams County where he as active in theatre. In 1940 Francis Beitler married Margaret Toom while stationed in Illinois.

In 1930 Francis enlisted in the United States Army and served in heavy artillery where he spent some time in the Philippines and Hawaii. In 1934, Francis joined  before reenlisting in 1934 in the Army Air Corps. He then joined the 27th Bombardment Group after its creation in 1940. He trained pat Scott Field and Chanute Field in Illinois, then in Savanna Georgia. Francis eventually earned the rank of First Sergeant before being sent to the Philippine Islands again. Francis and the 27th Bombardment Group arrived in Manila on November 20, 1941 as reinforcements the Army had codenamed Operation Plum as tension between the United States and Japan was intensifying. Both of Francis' brothers would also serve in the U.S. Army in WWII. TSgt Thurman Beitler served in Italy, and Sgt. Floyd Beitler attended West Point. 

While in the Philippines, the 27th waited for their aircraft to arrive from Australia. The men were told that the 27th’s A-24s would be arriving by ship in mid-December. In the meantime, the 27th borrowed and trained on B-18 twin engine bombers and P-40 pursuit aircraft while they waited. On December 8th (in the Pacific) the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Guam, Wake Island, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Without their A-24's the 27th were given no flying missions while they waited at Fort McKinley. Instead, they were formed into the 27th Bomber Group Provisional Infantry Regiment Air Corps. This was the only Air Corps unit to serve as an Infantry Regiment in WWII. 

Francis Beitler participated in the defense of the Philippine islands where he was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War. After his capture, he was in the Bataan death march where the Japanese force marched nearly 76,000 prisoners of war nearly 65 miles to Camp O'Donnell. Along the march, over 10,000 American and Filipino soldiers, sailors, and airmen died or were executed. Of the 400 in the 27th Bombardment Group only 27 made it to safety in Australia after the Japanese invasion. The remaining were either killed or spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war. 

Francis Beitler Died on May 21st, 1941 of dysentery and malaria At Camp O'Donnell. He was buried at Plot A Row 2 Grave 174 Manila American Cemetery.

For his service and sacrifice, 1st Sgt. Beitler earned the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Defense Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, Philippine Republic Presidential Citation, and the WWII Victory Medal. 

Information researched and collected by Kasen Brown (2018) and Noah Short (2022). 

SOURCES

https://www.ancestryclassroom.com/family-tree/person/tree/169668071/person/232232300109/story?_phsrc=aZa30&_phstart=successSource.

“Francis F Beitler: Person, Pictures and Information.” Fold3, https://www.fold3.com/memorial/529941878/francis-f-beitler.

“Francis F. Beitler.” ABMC War Dead Certificate, https://www.abmc.gov/print/certificate/517333.

“Hostage to Misfortune.” Warfare History Network, 27 Sept. 2022, https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/hostage-to-misfortune/.

Indiana Historical Bureau, comp. Gold Star Honor Roll: Adams County. Bloomington: Indiana
War History Commission, 1949. Print. Vol. 1 of Indiana in World War II.

SUPPLEMENTARY