John Bryant Beall Sr. looks through a scrapbook of his World War II service at his Ben Wheeler home. Beall is scheduled to receive the Bronze Star Medal during an Independence Day celebration in Edom. Paul Bryant Photo BEN WHEELER — Fifty-five years after serving in World War II, John Bryant Beall Sr. will receive the Bronze Star Medal in a special ceremony at a July 4th celebration at Edom Community Park.

Still spry and lanky, Beall’s hazel eyes gleam with satisfaction at the thought of having the opportunity to stand on the stage and speak, perhaps reaching this generation of soldiers serving in the U.S. Armed Forces with a word of encouragement.

“My voice comes and goes now,” said the gentle man with the boyish grin.

But he has plenty to say when it comes to the differences between serving then and serving now in the military.

“Most people back here understand that you are fighting for our freedom,” Beall said. “We appreciate the sacrifice that you are going through. War is so much different from my time it is almost unbelievable.”

John Bryant Beall Sr. He is quick to point out differences that mean a difficult fight for today’s American soldiers.

“A church steeple was a prime place for enemy snipers we soon learned, so church steeples were one of the first things destroyed,” he said. “Now you have to have permission to fire your gun at someone who was just firing at you,” especially if the enemy throws down his weapon strategically.

“Back then, we were fighting a government army. Now, our people are fighting rogue terrorists not necessarily representing any government.”

One of five brothers who grew up in Edom when it was “a cotton gin, sawmill community,” he went to high school in Brownsboro. Four of the brothers, including himself, Roy, Thomas, and Horris, served in World War II, while the oldest, Robert, was “too old,” Beall said.

His first wife, Bernie, served with the Navy WAVES.

He and his wife of more than 11 years, Emmalene Brown, were classmates in 1942. Reuniting after the passing of their first spouses, Beall said affectionately, “We think the good Lord brought us together. We are convinced.”

It never entered Beall’s mind to apply for the medal associated with heroism and acts of bravery for generations since it was established in 1944.

It is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award (including both combat and non-combat awards) in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations.

“I was lucky enough to talk to Karl Little (of Smith County Department of Veteran’s Services),” said Beall, who stopped by the Cotton Belt building in downtown Tyler a few months ago to visit Little about something else.

Little took one glance at Beall’s military record and enthusiastically told him he qualified for the Bronze Star, according to Beall, not for a single act of courage, but for continuous service in the infantry, consistently putting his life on the line for three years.

In 1944 as a 20-yearold, Beall landed in southern France, assigned to the kitchen. The young man, who grew up on “Good ole East Texas country cooking, peas and cornbread” had plenty to learn about feeding soldiers.

“The army didn’t know about peas,” he said, laughing. “If I had a specialty, it was pancakes. The guys loved pancakes.”

He described warfare in matter-of-fact tones. Moving mess tents to follow behind the front lines came with a challenge Beall and his fellow soldiers soon grew to anticipate.

“Quite often, we would receive enemy fire as we prepared to move locations, sometimes as soon as we arrived. (The enemy) seemed to know before we moved where we were going before we did.”

When news came of Germany’s surrender, the greeting his division received when they were finally allowed to enter town remains fixed in his memory. They spent the day waiting to be cleared, military personnel lined up all along the road outside of Innsbruck, Austria, where they were positioned.

“We were well-received, given all the wine we wanted. I didn’t drink much, but I ate plenty.

Beall said he is looking forward to this year’s July 4 celebration in his boyhood home of Edom, enjoying the freedom he values.

Festivities, including live music, begin at 7 p.m. The medal ceremony is scheduled for an hour later, and fireworks will begin at dusk.