Arthur Thomas Andrew, son of Thomas and Helen Jenkins Andrew, was born in Burlington on 6 February 1916. After graduating from Burlington High School with the Class of 1935, Arthur worked at the Iowa Ordnance Plant in Middletown. Arthur married Winona Alice Walker (Class of 1937), daughter of Chester L. and Lora C. Loper Walker, at West Hill Methodist Church on 18 June 1939. After a short honeymoon, they made their home at 509 ½ South Leebrick in Burlington. From this marriage they had one child, Donna Rae born on 29 May 1943. He entered the United States Army on 1 December 1943, and received 17 weeks of training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. Arthur returned home to visit Winona and Donna in April 1944 before reporting to Fort Meade, Maryland and his eventually arrival in the European Theater of Operations on 1 May 1944. He was assigned to the 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. On 13 September 1944, Arthur’s task force made a rapid movement into Dutch territory and encountered heavy resistance. As the Germans retreated, Arthur and a few other soldiers climbed onto accompanying tanks and chased the retreating Germans. Their actions resulted in many Germans killed and 90 prisoners. For his actions that day, Arthur made the supreme sacrifice and was awarded the Silver Star (Posthumously). On 7 March 1945, Winona, along with her daughter, was presented with Andrew’s Silver Star by a representative of 7th Service Command. Arthur was survived by his parents; his wife and daughter; and three brothers, Richard of West Burlington, Iowa, Raymond of Burlington, and Jack, serving in the United States Army Air Force in France. On 12 November 1944, a memorial service was held for Arthur at the West Hill Methodist Church in Burlington. The service was conducted by Rev. O. L. Welshons, pastor of the Church of the Open Bible, and Rev. E. S. Blomquist, pastor of West Hill Methodist Church. Andrew was a member of West Hill Methodist Church and active in the Church of the Open Bible. Sixteen months after Andrew’s death, a young man and his father came to visit Winona. The young man identified himself as Andrew’s war buddy. He and Andrew made an agreement that if either of them were killed, that the other would go and visit the others family. He came with his father, to make good on that promise. During that meeting, he related the circumstances surrounding Andrew’s death. They were on a tank giving chase, when the friend was standing up. Andrew realized that his buddy was in the line of fire, jumped up, and pulled his buddy to safety. In the process of doing that, Andrew took the bullet. The father expressed his gratefulness for this act of heroism since that was his only son.
Text written by Mark Beckers