Vernon Horatio Beach
1918-1996
Photo shared by Vickie Graves Jones
from Fighting Men of Arkansas
Vernon Horatio Beach was born December 13, 1918 at Eagle Twsp., Sebastian Co., Ar. to
Romulus Horatio & Elizabeth Florence Thames Beach. February 17,
1946 he married Lavina Hautene Rippy from Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. His
residence was Greenwood, Sebastian Co.
Vernon enlisted in the US Army January 6, 1941 and served until May 25, 1943. He
again registered on May 26, 1943 serving until January 31, 1946. On his enlistment
papers he says he has completed 4 years of high school and his civil occupation
is "Clerks, general office". The branch he served in was Field Artillery with
the 781st Tank Destroyer Battalion. Nothing more is found about his service.
In January 1943, and as World War II entered its second year it was evident that
U.S. tanks were outgunned, under-armored, and underpowered. In short, they
weren't cutting the mustard, but there was no time for a long development
project. At Fort Knox, Kentucky, the newly-formed 781st Tank Battalion
was detailed to run an around-the-clock marathon comparison test on forty
Sherman tanks to find the best available configuration and fastest solution.
When the results of the "Million Dollar Tank Test" were collected, what
resulted was the Sherman "Easy Eight," an easier to manufacture tank that
was also such an effective fighting vehicle that it would serve for another
thirty years. The 781st Tank Battalion shipped out to Europe, where,
equipped with the "Easy Eight," it thwarted Hitler's last major offensive
in the West - Operation Nordwind - and swept southern Germany as the tip
of the U.S. Seventh Army's sword.
Vernon Horatio Beach passed away August 13, 1996 and was buried in Liberty
Cemetery in Greenwood, Sebastian Co., Ar.
Biography shared by Vickie Graves Jones
from Fighting Men of Arkansas
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