Captain George F. Westerman exemplified the courage and leadership that defined the Greatest Generation during World War II. Serving as an officer in the 40th Signal Light Construction Battalion, Westerman distinguished himself through extraordinary service that would earn him one of the military's most respected honors.
Early Service and Command
George F. Westerman entered military service from Darlington, Wisconsin, beginning his career through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Wisconsin. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1938, and called to active duty in June 1941. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on December 29, 1941.
Westerman's first active duty assignment was as platoon commander of the construction platoon of the 2nd Armored Signal Battalion from June 19, 1941, until July 6, 1942.
He was then transferred to the 40th Signal Construction Battalion on October 13, 1942, where he would serve with distinction and be promoted to Captain on February 2, 1943.
As Commanding Officer of Headquarters Company (later redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment) of the 40th Signal Light Construction Battalion, he also served as the unit's S-2 intelligence officer.
The Bronze Star Medal
On June 27, 1945, Lieutenant Colonel William H. Goss recommended Captain Westerman for the Bronze Star Medal, recognizing his distinguished service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States from 22 November 1944 to 29 March 1945.
Captain Westerman's Bronze Star citation details a series of remarkable acts of bravery across multiple European battlefields:
Belgium Operations (November-December 1944): While the 40th Signal Construction Battalion built critical communication lines from Liege, Belgium to Aachen, Germany, and eastward toward Cologne, Westerman personally directed the neutralization of three booby traps and numerous mines, ensuring his men could complete their vital mission.
Ardennes Campaign (January 1945): During the German counteroffensive known as the Battle of the Bulge, Westerman led mine-sweeping operations around Marche and Jemelle, Belgium. His careful work resulted in the destruction of approximately 26 mines along the roads his battalion needed to rehabilitate damaged communication lines. This dangerous work prevented what would have been inevitable casualties among his men.
Siegfried Line Breakthrough (March 1945): Perhaps his most dangerous assignment came when Westerman directed the clearing of minefields through Germany's formidable Siegfried Line west of Frum. For nearly three weeks, he methodically cleared a path through heavily mined German defensive positions to allow construction of essential communication lines.
Saving Lives (March 29, 1945): In his last documented act of valor, Westerman detected and personally destroyed a hastily placed enemy minefield near Bitburg, Germany. This minefield lay directly in the path of a cable line his battalion was constructing and would have caused significant loss of life and equipment if not discovered.
Captain Westerman's actions went beyond individual heroism. His citation noted that his "ability to cope with all types of mined areas inspired confidence in his men to proceed with their normal duties, unhampered by the fear of faulty detection." This leadership was crucial to the "speedy construction and restoration of communications for the 12th Army Group," playing a vital role in the Allied victory in Europe.
A Distinguished Post-War Career
The war's end marked the beginning of an even more distinguished phase of Westerman's military career. Promoted to Major on September 16, 1946, he continued his rise through the ranks, achieving Lieutenant Colonel on January 29, 1954, and finally Colonel on July 2, 1963.
After earning his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1947, he joined The Judge Advocate General's Corps in 1950, launching a remarkable legal career that would span two decades.
His expertise in patent law led to his appointment as Chief of the Patents Division at the Office of The Judge Advocate General (1952-1956, 1961-1962), and later as Patents Advisor to NATO (1957-1960), where he negotiated crucial bilateral agreements between the United States and NATO countries for classified patent applications.
During the Korean War, Westerman served on the Employees' Compensation Commission for Foreign Nationals and District Contraband Tribunals.
His most challenging assignment came in 1962 as Staff Judge Advocate to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), where he provided legal counsel to both MACV staff and the American Embassy in Saigon.
Beyond his official duties, he taught American jurisprudence to Vietnamese law students, American political ideals to university undergraduates, and English to judges and Ministry of Justice officials—efforts that proved instrumental in securing Vietnamese cooperation for U.S. military legal proceedings.
Westerman's scholarly contributions included numerous publications on military justice, patent law, and international law.
His crowning achievement came in 1969 when he was designated as the first Chief Judge of the U.S. Army Court of Military Review, a position he held until his military retirement in 1970.
Even after retiring from the Army, he continued serving the legal profession as Director of Judicial Activities for the American Bar Association and later with the Michigan Court of Appeals.
I've never been able to find any evidence of exchange of correspondence with veterans of the 40th. I was fortunate enough to meet his colleague, Winchester Kelso, who was also in the First Military Court of Appeals. Win was a lieutenant in 81st Infantry (Rail-splitters) who helped liberate the Belgian town of Rochefort during the Battle of the Bulge.
He visited Europe frequently during the 1970s, and visited the Rhine region of Bingen again.
Legacy and Remembrance
Colonel George F. Westerman passed away on June 12, 1985, and was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. His family's move to Brussels, Belgium, connected them to a continent where he had served with such distinction decades earlier.
My later research into family documents and records at the National Archives in Maryland revealed the full scope of his father's wartime service, leading to the preservation of the 40th Signal Light Construction Battalion's history.
Through these efforts, Colonel Westerman's story serves as a testament to the countless acts of individual heroism that contributed to Allied victory in World War II.