Stanley D. Pierson
Biography: Stanley Dolphus Pierson was born on December 5, 1920, in Superior, Wisconsin, but grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. He was the son of Herbert Pierson and Lillie Hicks and graduated from Central High School in Duluth. His Report of Separation indicates he worked as a mechanical draftsman prior to entering the military.
Service Time: Stanley served briefly in the Navy; until they found out he was underage. He enlisted in the Army on January 12, 1940, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. On March 11, 1940, he arrived in Panama and was assigned to Headquarters Company Panama Canal Department, Post of Quarry Heights, Canal Zone. He worked as a Chief Clerk and was discharged on November 20, 1942, at the rank of Technical Sergeant.
Stanley re-entered active duty with the Army on November 21, 1942, and was appointed as a Warrant Officer Junior Grade on the same date. On March 28, 1944, he was assigned to the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, and by early July that same year, he was serving as Personnel Officer and signing unit Morning Reports. On October 7, 1944, Stanley volunteered to lead a patrol against a German pillbox. During the mission, under covering fire, he single handedly assaulted the position and captured five enemy soldiers. For these actions, he was awarded a Silver Star.
He was wounded twice in December, once on the 9th and again on the 14th. A Purple Heart medal was awarded for the first wound and an Oak Leaf Cluster to the PH for the second. Stanley was credited with all five of the unit’s campaigns and in addition to the above awards; he received the EAME, Good Conduct, WWII Victory, American Theater and Army of Occupation/Germany medals. He returned to the U.S. on October 19, 1945 and left the service on January 10, 1946, at Camp Beale, California, at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer.
On August 14, 1946, Stanley re-entered the Army, serving as an Administrative Assistant in the Office, Chief, Army Field Forces, Fort Monroe, Virginia, leaving the military again on April 14, 1948. At some point, he was back in the Army, serving in Korea and although we don’t know the exact dates, current information indicates he was serving in the 6th Tank Battalion, part of the 24th Infantry Division. He received a proclamation, dated October 2, 1957, from the mayor of a Korean village thanking him for providing a military bulldozer to build a dike and level an area for construction of a school. He retired from the military in August, 1960, at the rank of Captain.
Stanley married the former Marion Alice Bridegan, who was born in Indiana and was the daughter of Charles E. Bridegan and Roxanne L. Moore, on Dec 14, 1953. The new couple made their home in Grandview, Missouri. They had three children, Stanley D. II and Janene born in 1955 and Michael in 1960.
Following his military career, Stanley worked as a Claims Supervisor for Employers Mutual Insurance. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking and gardening and he was a 33rd Degree Mason-Scottish Rite. Stanley passed away on Oct. 29, 2010, and was buried in Kansas City, MO.
We would like to thank Stanley’s son, Stan, for providing the photos and information used in this tribute along with additional photos and information on the 607th. Thank you also to Ancestry member “gingels” for use of the grave marker photo.