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Ens Robert Westfield “Bobby” Beedle
Monument

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Ens Robert Westfield “Bobby” Beedle Veteran

Birth
O'Fallon, St. Clair County, Illinois, USA
Death
5 Jan 1945 (aged 23)
Kavieng, Kavieng District, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Monument
Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines Add to Map
Plot
Walls of the Missing
Memorial ID
View Source
Navy fighter pilot, brother of actor William Holden.

In his brother's biography, "Golden Boy," Bob Thomas describes Bob Beedle's death in air combat at Kavieng, New Ireland in the South Pacific:

"Ensign Beedle, who had already destroyed two Japanese Zeros, had been part of a carrier-based squadron of Hellcats escorting dive bombers on the raid. The Hellcats were attacked by half a dozen Zeros, and Beedle's plane was apparently hit as he turned to intercept a pair of Japanese planes that concentrated on him. Said his section leader: 'His Hellcat swept upward in a lazy loop, pulled out just above the water, flew level for a few seconds, then plunged into the whitecaps. His guns were still blasting.'"

After The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955) was released, Beedle was remembered by his squadron-mates as having been very much like Holden's character, Lt. Harry Brubaker.

South Pasadena High School Class Of 1939
Navy fighter pilot, brother of actor William Holden.

In his brother's biography, "Golden Boy," Bob Thomas describes Bob Beedle's death in air combat at Kavieng, New Ireland in the South Pacific:

"Ensign Beedle, who had already destroyed two Japanese Zeros, had been part of a carrier-based squadron of Hellcats escorting dive bombers on the raid. The Hellcats were attacked by half a dozen Zeros, and Beedle's plane was apparently hit as he turned to intercept a pair of Japanese planes that concentrated on him. Said his section leader: 'His Hellcat swept upward in a lazy loop, pulled out just above the water, flew level for a few seconds, then plunged into the whitecaps. His guns were still blasting.'"

After The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955) was released, Beedle was remembered by his squadron-mates as having been very much like Holden's character, Lt. Harry Brubaker.

South Pasadena High School Class Of 1939

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from California.



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  • Maintained by: Wes Keat
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 8, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56754381/robert_westfield-beedle: accessed ), memorial page for Ens Robert Westfield “Bobby” Beedle (1 Jul 1921–5 Jan 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56754381, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by Wes Keat (contributor 31983254).