Sidney Carl Beinke

Sidney Carl Beinke was born on May 22, 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri to Arthur H. and Clara Krause Beinke; he was the youngest of five children. The Beinke family relocated to Seattle Washington, where Sidney attended Cleveland High School.  He participated in track and the decoration committee his sophomore year; the Constitution comittee and Hi-Y his senior year; and was a member of the stage crew and Boys' Club all four years. Described in his high school yearbook as a "true worker," Beinke graduated on June 12, 1935.

Beinke transferred to Washington State College (WSC) from the University of Washington, attending from 1935 through 1939.  While at WSC, he was a member of Phi Sigma, a national biological research fraternity, and served as president of the organzation for one semester.  He graduated on June 3, 1940 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany.  He went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a AAA range specialist, a position he held until his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps in the fall of 1942.

Beinke initially served as an enlisted soldier in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from December 13, 1942 until February 23, 1943, at which time he received his commission as an officer. Receiving a promotion to Second Lieutenant in April 1943, he attended Reserve Officers' School at Quantico, Virginia. He received a promotion to First Lieutenant in July 1944. Beinke was attached to the Seventh Marine Regiment, First Marine Division and served in the Pacific Theatre beginning June 6, 1943.  He participated in the battle for Cape Gloucester, New Britain from December 26, 1943 through April 3, 1944 before landing on Peleliu in the Palau Islands with the First Marine Division on September 15, 1944. Beinke was killed in action on October 3, 1944 by sniper fire after first being wounded by a mortar shell fragment. 

Beinke received a Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) with a ribbon bar, as well as a posthumous letter of commendation for "meritorious devotion to duty" from W.H. Rupertus, Major General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commanding First Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, on October 12, 1944. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal for his "gallantry and intrepidity as Leader of a 37-mm. Gun Platoon" in action against the Japanese on Peleliu, September 17, 1944. Beinke is buried at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle.