Robert S. Beightler

{{short description|American major general who served in WWII}} {{about||his son, the American military officer and aide to president Harry Truman|Robert S. Beightler Jr.}} {{Infobox military person | name = Robert Sprague Beightler | birth_date = {{birth date|1892|3|21}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1978|2|12|1892|3|21}} | birth_place = [[Marysville, Ohio]], U.S. | death_place = [[Worthington, Ohio]], U.S. | burial_place = Oakdale Cemetery, Marysville, Ohio | image = Robert S Beightler.jpg | allegiance = {{flag|United States|1912}} | branch = [[File:United States Department of the Army Seal.svg|20px|United States Army seal]] [[United States Army]] | service_years = 1911–1953 | rank = [[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|30px]] [[Major General (United States)|Major General]] | commands = [[37th Infantry Division (United States)|37th Infantry Division]] | battles = {{tree list}} * [[Border War (1910–1919)|Border War]] ** [[Pancho Villa Expedition]] * [[World War I]] * [[World War II]] ** [[Operation Cartwheel]] *** [[Bougainville campaign]] *** [[New Georgia campaign]] ** [[Philippines campaign (1944–1945)|Philippines campaign]] *** [[Battle of Manila (1945)|Battle of Manila]] *** [[Battle of Baguio]] ** [[Occupation of Japan]] * [[Korean War]] {{tree list/end}} | awards = [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Silver Star]] [[Purple Heart]] [[Legion of Merit]] [[Combat Infantryman Badge]] | other_work = Engineer, owner of private engineering firm }}

'''Robert Sprague Beightler''' (March 21, 1892 – February 12, 1978) was a [[United States Army]] two-star [[General officer|general]] and Ohio political insider, engineer, and business owner. In the military, he reached the rank of major general, and served as military governor of Okinawa, War Department General Staff, and as commander of the [[37th Infantry Division (United States)|37th Infantry Division]], one of only two [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]] generals to lead their troops through training and into battle during World War II. In political activities in Ohio, he served as head of the Ohio State Highway Department, president of the Army Personnel Board, executive director and board member of the Ohio Turnpike Commission.

Beightler was the only World War II National Guard general to have commanded his division for the length of the war.<ref name="Minuteman">{{cite book|last=Ohl|first=John Kennedy|year=2001|title=Minuteman: The Military Career of General Robert S. Beightler|pages=xi|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|isbn=978-1-55587-923-5|access-date=15 December 2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4F-qtvhO5ewC&q=was+the+only+National+Guard+general+to+have+commanded+his+division+for+the+duration+of+the+war&pg=PR11}}</ref> In addition to being one of only eleven generals who commanded their divisions for the entire war<ref name="Order374">''Order of Battle'', p. 374.</ref> and the longest-serving of these eleven, Beightler was appointed to the Regular Army in 1946 as one of only two National Guard major generals to receive such an appointment at that time.<ref name="Minuteman"/>

==Early life== [[File:William Sprague 1830-1915 - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Beightler was a cousin U.S. Senator [[William Sprague IV]], from the [[Sprague family]] of Rhode Island]] Beightler was born on March 21, 1892, in [[Marysville, Ohio]], of German-British-French descent. He was the son of William P. Beightler, an elected local surveyor, city and state engineer. His father was also the president of the Perfect Cigar Company.<ref>Union County History, p. 599</ref> His mother was Joana Sprague, daughter of [[Franklin B. Sprague]]<ref>''Minuteman'', p. 2, 3</ref> and a cousin of Cdre. [[Oliver Hazard Perry]], Gov. [[William Sprague IV]], and U.S. Senator [[William Sprague (1799-1856)|William Sprague III]].<ref name="minuteman3"/>

Beightler's paternal ancestors came from Germany, having immigrated to and settled in [[Berks County, Pennsylvania]] in the 18th century. In the early 19th century, those ancestors were some of the first pioneers of the western United States, first settling in eastern Ohio, and eventually in Marysville. They had served in the [[American Revolution]], and would serve as well in the [[American Civil War]], among other early United States conflicts.<ref name=Minuteman2>''Minuteman'', p. 2, Beightler Family ¶ 10</ref> [[File:John William Bricker (Gov., Sen. OH).jpg|thumb|1944 U.S. vice presidential candidate [[John W. Bricker]] was Beightler's best man at his wedding]] Beightler was raised in a devout [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] family that stressed church, community, service, duty, and patriotism. They lived on the west side of Marysville on 7th street. As a young man he learned from his father's industriousness and grew vegetables in the back yard to sell door to door. He was an excellent student, and avid hunter, having been quoted saying "from the time I was knee high to a grasshopper, (I had a rifle in my hands)."<ref name="minuteman3">''Minuteman'', p. 3</ref>

===Education=== After graduating from [[Marysville High School (Ohio)|Marysville High School]] in 1909, he enrolled at [[Ohio State University]] for two years. While there he studied civil engineering, was active in [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]], trained as a cadet, and was manager of the basketball team. Following the two years at OSU, Beightler left to take employment as an assistant engineer with Union County.<ref name="minuteman4">''Minuteman'', p.4</ref>

===Marriage===

While he was in college, he met his future wife Anna Lawrence Porter, who was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University. Her father was an executive with the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, and her grandfather was a judge in Union County. They would marry on October 14, 1914, and have three children, two who lived, Robert Jr., and Marjorie.<ref name="minuteman4"/> Beightler's best man at this wedding was [[John W. Bricker]], the future governor of Ohio, U.S. Senator, and [[1944 United States presidential election#Republican Party|1944 Republican vice presidential nominee]].<ref>Ohio History, Volume 106, p. 45–46</ref>

==Early military service== On August 7, 1911, Beightler had enlisted with the [[Ohio National Guard]]. Assigned to the [[4th Ohio Infantry]], Beightler served with Company E, based out of an armory in Marysville.<ref name="10,000, p.77">''10,000'', p.77</ref> By 1913 Beightler had achieved the rank of first sergeant, and second lieutenant by 1914.<ref>''Minuteman'', p.11</ref> In August 1916, President [[Woodrow Wilson]] mobilized 400,000 troops from across the nation, including from the Ohio National Guard, to be sent to the Mexican border to deal with the border crisis and [[Pancho Villa]]. The forces were led by [[John J. Pershing]]. The young Beightler served in this conflict.<ref>''Punitive Expedition'', ''Honoring'', ¶ 8.</ref>

On August 5, 1917, Beightler was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, serving as an [[adjutant]] for the 3rd Battalion. The 4th infantry was designated the [[166th Infantry Regiment (United States)|166th U.S. Infantry Regiment]] by the U.S. War Department.<ref>''Minuteman'', p. 27</ref> Beightler was moved to [[Camp Mills]] on [[Long Island]] in preparation for deployment to [[France]] in the European theater of [[World War I]]. Before departing for Europe in October 1917, Anne visited to wish Robert well and inform him that they were expecting their first child. Upon arriving in France, Beightler's regiment undertook basic training operations, including learning the French language. He was involved in the [[Sedan incident]], as well as other combat during his time in France.<ref>''Minuteman'', p.30–41</ref>

== Interwar years == Following the war, he returned home to Ohio in 1919. Re-entering civilian life, he worked as an engineer for the state in Columbus over requests by his father to work in Union County as an engineer. His daughter was over a year old after he left the military, and the young family moved to Columbus to be closer to Beightler's employment.<ref>''Minuteman'', p. 42, 43</ref>

Beightler completed his engineering degree at Ohio State University. He also started a private civil engineering firm with Adolph Stellhorn. He went on to Command and General Staff School in Leavenworth, Kansas, to complete a course on National Guard Officers where he was first in his class. In 1930, he graduated from the Army War College's G-2 course.<ref name="oh46">Ohio History, Volume 106, p. 46</ref>

In 1932, Beightler returned to active duty, serving with the Army General Staff in Washington D.C. This exposed him to the highest levels of the Army, something rarely afforded to National Guard officers. He spent most of his time working on plans for the [[Interstate Highway System]].<ref name="oh46"/>

In 1936 he returned to Ohio, working as chief of staff for the [[37th Infantry Division (United States)|37th Infantry Division]], and commander of the 74th Infantry Brigade. Having earned the opportunity, in 1939 his longtime friend John W. Bricker, who had become Governor of Ohio, appointed Beightler to Ohio State Highway Director.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Webb |first1=Tyler R. |title=The Battling Buckeyes of the 37th Infantry Division |date=March 2018 |publisher=Ohio State University |pages=3–4 |url=https://kb.osu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/5b0c3c2f-b4ee-5121-86ce-8082f6717509/content |access-date=17 January 2025}}</ref>

== World War II ==

===Training the 37th Infantry Division=== [[File:37th Infantry Division CSIB.svg|thumb|right|37th Infantry Division insignia]] In 1940, Beightler was appointed commanding General of the 37th Infantry Division,<ref name="oh46" /> and immediately began exhaustive training and preparation of the soldiers. His philosophy was simple, the better trained the soldiers are, the fewer casualties there would be. He also had moral reasoning, having been quoted after World War II saying "... I have never been able to completely harden myself to the sacrifice of American lives. I have always felt a deep-seated responsibility to the families of these men, many of whom might be called my neighbors."<ref>Ohio History, Volume 106, p. 47</ref>

The 37th participated in the [[Louisiana Maneuvers]], in which future senior military leaders Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, Omar Bradley, and Leslie McNair were present. McNair said of Beightler that he was "one of the best" National Guard commanders.<ref>Ohio History, Volume 6, p.47</ref> A few months later, America was thrown into [[World War II]] following the [[Pearl Harbor]] attacks.[[File:Admiral Halsey, Maj. Gen. Beightler and Maj. Gen. Geiger on Bougainville.jpg|thumb|left|Beightler, seated in the center, in Bougainville in 1943]] Following the training of the 37th, Beightler would lead them into battle in the [[Pacific War|Pacific theater]] of the war. The "Buckeye Division," as the 37th was called, entered the theater in 1942. The 37th were victorious in numerous battles, including victories at New Georgia, [[Ohio Army National Guard#World War II|Bougainville]], the [[Battle of Manila (1945)|Battle of Manila]], and raced the [[33rd Infantry Division (United States)|33rd Division]] to [[Battle of Baguio (1945)|liberate Baguio City]].<ref name="You Are Now Entering Baguio">{{cite web |last1=Mann |first1=Joshua |title='You are now entering Baguio, Courtesy 37th Infantry Division': Marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Baguio |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/368445/you-now-entering-baguio-courtesy-37th-infantry-division-marking-75th-anniversary-liberation-baguio |website=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service |publisher=Ohio National Guard Public Affairs |access-date=27 April 2020}}</ref> They would go on to liberate 1300 internees at the [[Bilibid Prison]] in [[Muntinlupa]].

On September 5, 1945, Beightler accepted articles of surrender from Major General [[Shunzo Iguchi|Iguchi]], commanding general, 80th Brigade, Imperial Japanese Army, in Luzon, Philippines.<ref>Ohio Historical Society Collection P 295/N 56 S</ref>

The Buckeye Division produced 7 [[Medal of Honor]] recipients during the war. They were demobilized in November 1945.

===Postwar service=== At the end of World War II, Beightler was the only National Guard general to have commanded his division for the length of the war.<ref name="Minuteman"/> In addition to being the Army's longest-serving division commander in 1945, Beightler received an appointment in the Regular Army in 1946, one of only two National Guard major generals to receive such an appointment at that time.<ref name="Minuteman"/> Following the war, Beightler was assigned to the 5th Service Command at Fort Hayes in Columbus. In 1947, he was appointed president of the personnel board of the Secretary of War, moving back to Washington. In 1949, he was assigned to the Far East, taking over the Marianas-Bonins Command on Guam.

In 1950, he was appointed the [[United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands|Deputy Military Governor]] of Okinawa, as well as the Deputy Governor of the [[United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands|Ryukyus Islands Command]].<ref name="top"/> During this period he dedicated most of his time toward rebuilding the infrastructure of the Ryukyu Islands. Following a massive heart attack in 1952, one of nine Beightler would suffer throughout his life, he was flown to [[Walter Reed Army Medical Center|Walter Reed Medical Center]] in [[Washington D.C.]]; in 1953, Beightler was retired from the military after 42 years of service.

==Politics== Beightler had been involved in politics since his return from World War I. He was a lifelong critic of too much federal power, and constantly feuded with Washington in defending the National Guard. He was a staunch conservative in the classical liberal sense, believing in the freedom of the States and a skeptic of the federal government.<ref>Ohio History, p. 48-55, ''Minuteman'', p.242, 243</ref>

He was active in the Ohio Republican Party, having been a longtime friend of [[John W. Bricker]], and close friends of Ohio Republican leader Ed Schorr and U.S. Senate Majority Leader and presidential son [[Robert A. Taft]]. He had extensive media contacts that he used to the 37th's advantage in a dispute with the War Department in Washington, as well as to keep up on the political environment personally.<ref name="minute231242">''Minuteman'', p. 231, 242 ''Mr. Republicans'', p. 29, Ohio History, p. 48-55</ref> At one point he was the mayor of [[Marble Cliff, Ohio]], a tiny hamlet just outside downtown Columbus. He was an alternate delegate from the Ohio delegation to the [[1940 Republican National Convention]].<ref>Hall of Fame, Political Graveyard</ref>

===Gubernatorial and congressional consideration=== In the spring of 1945 the Ohio Republican Party attempted to draft Beightler to run for governor against [[Frank Lausche]] in 1946. His candidacy was urged by Bricker, and Ohio Congressman [[Clarence J. Brown]]. This would have provided early key endorsements. Hundreds of insider Republicans wrote to Beightler stating he would have their support, would easily clinch the Republican nomination for governor, and could defeat Lausche.

However, citing the lack of a completely unified party around his potential candidacy, he did not want to cause a factional split in the party. He also cited the unlikelihood that he could beat Lausche who was a great campaigner, as well as the fact that he agreed with him on almost every issue. His decision was also influenced by the fact he was still engaged in battle in the Pacific theater. [[File:Douglas MacArthur 58-61.jpg|thumb|Gen. [[Douglas MacArthur]] was encouraged by Beightler in a personal meeting in 1950 to run for U.S. president in 1952]] He did write that ending his public career as governor of "the grand old state of Ohio" was an appealing prospect. Beightler miscalculated the political atmosphere, as Lausche would lose by 40,000 votes the following year in a banner year for Republicans.<ref>''Minuteman'', p. 228, 229–231</ref>

In 1946, talks circulated again of Beightler running for political office, this time for Congress. However, he said was not interested in a legislative position and called it "a nobody's job."<ref>Minuteman, p. 231</ref>

===Opposition to Eisenhower candidacy=== On November 9, 1950, while stationed in the Pacific, he sent a letter to [[Robert A. Taft]] congratulating him on his Senate re-election victory. The letter discussed a personal meeting with [[Gen. Douglas MacArthur]] on the subject, in which Beightler had encouraged MacArthur to run in 1952, but MacArthur showed no interest. MacArthur shared the same views as Beightler on Eisenhower, and both would go on to endorse Taft in 1952. In Taft's reply on November 24, 1950, he implied to Beightler that Eisenhower was incompetent and likely to be influenced by money and political endorsements.<ref>The Papers, p.217-218</ref>

===Ohio Turnpike Commission=== After leaving the military in 1953, Beightler headed the Ohio Turnpike Commission as executive director. Beightler oversaw the construction and completion of the Ohio Turnpike. He resigned as executive director to become a member of the commission.

==Retirement and family== Beightler retired officially in 1962 to [[Worthington, Ohio]]. Over the years he had been a good investor, and had a large retirement savings. He enjoyed gardening and fishing, and spent his winters in Florida. He followed national and international affairs closely, as well as Wall Street out of interest of his own financial holdings. He was also active in veterans and civic groups.<ref name="minute231242"/>

Beightler had two children with Anne, [[Robert S. Beightler, Jr.|Robert Jr.]], who attended the [[United States Military Academy]] at West Point, and Marjorie. Robert Jr. served in the Philippines during World War II as a platoon leader in the [[511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (United States)|511th Parachute Infantry Regiment]] of the [[11th Airborne Division]]. Despite both father and son fighting in their respective divisions in the Battle of Manila, neither would meet in combat until April in northern Luzon.

Beightler died on February 12, 1978. He is buried at Oakdale Cemetery in Marysville.

Beightler had said of his hometown "With you, I lived many of my greatest moments, from which I have many of my fondest memories. Memories of Marysville during my 28 years here are among my warmest thoughts."<ref>''Marysville Set''</ref>

==Honors== [[File:Beightler historical.jpg|thumb|Beightler's Historical Marker at 5th Street and Main, Marysville, Ohio]]

Robert Beightler was the recipient of numerous honors, including the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership in the Philippines campaign, the [[Silver Star]] Medal, the [[Purple Heart]], the [[Combat Infantryman Badge]], the [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] for the New Georgia campaign, with an [[Oak leaf cluster|oak leaf]] cluster for his service in Bougainville and Luzon, and the [[Legion of Merit]] with an oak leaf cluster.<ref name="top">''Top of the ladder''</ref> His award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) was later revoked because Army regulations prohibit the CIB from being awarded to generals.

On September 25, 1945, Beightler received his 33d degree from the [[Scottish Rite]] of Freemasonry.<ref name="10,000, p.77"/> He was awarded the [[Philippine Legion of Honor|Legion of Honor]] from the Philippine government. In June 1952, Beightler was awarded an honorary doctorate from the [[University of the Ryukyus]] for his work in rebuilding the infrastructure.<ref name="minuteman241">''Minuteman'', p. 241</ref> The National Guard armory in Columbus is named in his honor. It is the headquarters of the [[Ohio National Guard]]. [[File:Beightler Marker.jpg|thumb|left|Beightler's marker at the Veterans Memorial in Marysville, Ohio]]

In 1969, the city of Marysville, Ohio dedicated 5th Street in honor of Beightler, naming it Major General Robert S. Beightler Way.<ref>Beightler Family, ¶ 1</ref> In 1993, the Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs inducted him into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.<ref>Hall of Fame</ref> In 2007, the [[Union County, Ohio]] Chamber of Commerce declared September 28 to be Major General Robert S. Beightler Day.<ref>''Honoring'', ¶ 3</ref>

In 2007, the Ohio Historical Society dedicated an historical marker on 5th Street in Uptown Marysville in honor of Beightler. Hundreds of citizens attended the ceremony, with officials present from the office of Gov. [[Ted Strickland]], U.S. Senator [[George Voinovich]], and the Ohio National Guard. In 2007, the Ohio Department of Transportation funded his memorial marker at the Veterans Memorial in Marysville, Ohio.

=== Military decorations ===

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |colspan="3"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Combat Infantry Badge.svg|width=256|alt=}} |- |colspan="3"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star Medal ribbon1OLC.png|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Mexican Border Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|other_device=bss|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.svg|width=106|alt=}} |}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- ! 1 | colspan="6" style="text-align: center" | [[Combat Infantryman Badge]] |- ! 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align: center" | [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] | colspan="3" style="text-align: center" | [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] with Oak Leaf Cluster |- ! 3 | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top" | [[Legion of Merit]] with Oak Leaf Cluster | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top" | [[Silver Star Medal|Silver Star]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top" | [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] with Oak Leaf Cluster |- ! 4 | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[Purple Heart]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[Mexican Border Service Medal]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] with five [[Medal bar|battle clasps]] |- ! 5 | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[Army of Occupation of Germany Medal]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[American Defense Service Medal]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[American Campaign Medal]] |- ! 6 | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with four campaign stars | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]] | colspan="2" style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 22em" | [[Philippine Liberation Medal]] with one bronze award star |}

==Notes== {{reflist|colwidth=14em}}

==References== {{commons category}}

* {{cite book |title= Order of Battle of the United States Army: World War II European Theater of Operations |year=1945 |publisher= Department of the Army |isbn=978-0-16-001967-8}} * Kennedy-Ohl, John. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4F-qtvhO5ewC ''Minuteman: The Military Career Of General Robert S. Beightler''.] [[Lynne Rienner Publishers]], 2001. {{ISBN|978-1555879235}}, {{ISBN|978-1-55587-923-5}} * "Beightler family upholds military tradition". [https://web.archive.org/web/20101228055336/http://www.marysvillejt.com/archivelocal/2007localarchives/localarchivesept07.htm#Inretrospect ''Marysville Journal-Tribune'']. 29 sept 2007. 8 dec 2008 * Ohio History: The Scholarly Journal of the Ohio Historical Society. [http://publications.ohiohistory.org/ohstemplate.cfm?action=detail&Page=010646.html&StartPage=42&EndPage=58&volume=106&newtitle=Volume%20106%20Page%2042 Volume 106]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Ohio Historical Society. * Denslow, William R., and Harry S. Truman. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZvBjhJr9Ev0C&q=10,+000+freemasons,+denslow ''10,000 Famous Freemasons from A to J Part One.''] Kessinger Publishing, 2004. {{ISBN|978-1-4179-7578-5}}, {{ISBN|978-1-4179-7578-5}} * "Punitive Expedition". [https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/wwi/108653.htm United States State Department.] 8 dec 2008 * Horns, Ryan. "Honoring a hometown hero". [https://web.archive.org/web/20101228055336/http://www.marysvillejt.com/archivelocal/2007localarchives/localarchivesept07.htm#Inretrospect Marysville Journal-Tribune.] 29 sept 07. 8 dec 2008 * Cipriano Venzon, Anne. [https://books.google.com/books?id=YiZRC8bsOuoC&q=%27%27The+United+States+in+the+First+World+War:+An+Encyclopedia%27%27 ''The United States in the First World War: An Encyclopedia''.] Taylor & Francis, 1995. {{ISBN|978-0-8153-3353-1}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8153-3353-1}} * "Robert Beightler Accepting Japanese's Surrender". [https://web.archive.org/web/20101231010741/http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/ohiopix/Image.cfm?ID=3040 Ohio Historical Society.] Unknown. 8 dec 2008 * Chapin, USMCR (Ret), Captain John C. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070128120107/http://www.nps.gov/archive/wapa/indepth/extContent/usmc/pcn-190-003141-00/sec5.htm ''"TOP OF THE LADDER: Marine Operations in the Northern Solomons".''] National Park Service. Unknown. 8 dec 2008 * Kulawik, Christopher. [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/history/resource-library/Kulawik_thesis.pdf" ''Mr. Republicans: Goldwater, Taft and a Usable Past in Mid-Century American".''] Columbia University. Unknown. 8 dec 2008 * "Class of 1993 - Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame ". [https://web.archive.org/web/20081225224121/http://dvs.ohio.gov/VeteransHallofFame/Inductees/Classof1993/tabid/102/Default.aspx Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs.] Unknown. 8 dec 2008 * "Marysville set to honor one of Ohio's great Citizen-Soldiers". [https://web.archive.org/web/20081023221613/http://www.ong.ohio.gov/pao/news/2007%20Stories/20070817a.htm Ohio National Guard.] 2007. 8 dec 2008 * "Index to Politicians: Beetham to Belch" [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/beetle-belch.html Political Graveyard.] Unknown. 9 dec 2008 * Wunderlin, Clarence. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ALek1sorKg8C The Papers of Robert A. Taft]. Kent State University Press, 1997. {{ISBN|978-0-87338-851-1}}, {{ISBN|978-0-87338-851-1}} * Curry, Col. W.L. [http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=beightler History of Union County]. B.F. Bowen and Company. Indianapolis. 1915

==External links== *[https://generals.dk/general/Beightler/Robert_Sprague/USA.html Generals of World War II]

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Newly activated organization}} {{s-ttl|title=[[37th Infantry Division (United States)|Commanding General 37th Infantry Division]]|years=1940–1945}} {{s-aft|after=Post deactivated}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beightler, Robert S.}} [[Category:1892 births]] [[Category:1978 deaths]] [[Category:United States Army Infantry Branch personnel]] [[Category:United States Army War College alumni]] [[Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni]] [[Category:People from Worthington, Ohio]] [[Category:People from Marysville, Ohio]] [[Category:Ohio State University College of Engineering alumni]] [[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of World War I]] [[Category:United States Army generals of World War II]] [[Category:United States Army generals]] [[Category:Military personnel from Ohio]] [[Category:Ohio National Guard personnel]]