Berning, Arthur L.

ARTHUR LOUIS BERNING

PRIVATE
U.S. ARMY

Arthur Berning was born April 18, 1925 to his parents, Mr. Fred C. Berning and Mrs. Marie (Grote) Berning. Arthur was the third oldest of four children, including a brother, Fred, and two sisters, Ottilie (Kiefer) and Leila (Judt).  They lived in southern Allen County along U.S. 27 just over the Adams County line. He attended St. John's Lutheran School in Bingen (Preble Township) and regularly attended church there with his family. Upon graduation from high school in 1940, he worked on the family farm. 

Arthur was drafted into the army on June 26, 1944 and completed basic military training at Fort Hood, Texas. Upon completion of his training, he had a brief furlough at home December 7-20 and then reported for overseas duty at Fort Meade in Maryland around January 1st, 1945. Private Berning was assigned to Company L. 3rd Platoon of the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division.

The 6th Armored Division arrived in the European Theatre on Utah Beach in July 1944 and supported the Normandy Campaign. They reached the German border by December and were redirected to northern France near Metz in response to the German offensive known as the "Battle of the Bulge". 

Private Berning, fresh from furlough and training, was sent as a replacement soldier to join the 6th Armored Division in their defensive against the axis powers. He arrived in France by the middle of January 1945 and was killed on January 27, 1945 near Luxembourg. Private Berning served just 6 months on active duty and less than two weeks in theatre before he was killed in action. A telegram was received at the family home on February 12, 1945 at 5:15pm notifying the family of his death. 

Private Berning was temporarily buried at the United States Military Cemetery in Grand Failly, France. This cemetery was constructed temporarily during the war to contain war dead. Upon the conclusion of the war, the cemetery was closed, and all internees were either returned to the United States or buried at other American Cemeteries in France. The location of this temporary Cemetery is now a corn field. A memorial service was held March 11, 1945 at St. John Lutheran Church. 

Private Berning's remains were returned to the states and arrived in Decatur on December 27, 1948. He was then laid to rest on December 29, 1948 in St. John's Cemetery, at the site of the previously erected memorial. 

In 1946, memorial markers were erected in the St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery for four members of the church who were killed in service to our nation during WWII. The four identical markers were placed next to each other, within view of their former homes. The markers were erected for Ensign Elmer Oetting, Sgt. Frederick Scheumann, Private Arthur Berning, and TSgt. Walter Schroeder. Ensign Oetting and Private Berning are interred in their plots while the others are interred elsewhere. 

Arthur's parents would later become the first donors to the Lutheran-Parkview Memorial Hospital Building Fund. A nurses' consultation room was memorialized in Arthur's honor. 

For his service and sacrifice, Private Berning earned the Purple Heart Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal, and WWII Victory Medal.

SOURCES

           “Decatur Daily Democrat 24 December 1948 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana’s Digital Historic Newspaper Program.” Newspapers.library.in.gov, newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=DCDD19481224.1.1&srpos=17&e=------194-en-20-DCDD-1--txt-txIN-arthur+berning------. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

           “Fred c Berning (1887-1971) - Find a Grave...” Www.findagrave.com, www.findagrave.com/memorial/51907596/fred_c_berning. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

           “Pvt Arthur Louis Berning (1925-1945) - Find A...” Www.findagrave.com, www.findagrave.com/memorial/49137097/arthur_louis_berning. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

           Wikipedia Contributors. “6th Armored Division (United States).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 June 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Armored_Division_%28United_States%29. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

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