Owen Arthur Biller

Owen Arthur Biller, Sr. was born January 29, 1920 in Gary Indiana and died February 13, 2006 in Cleveland, Tennessee. He was the son of Arthur R. Biller and Mrs. Ella Wallsberger Biller. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Lee Biller. He has one surviving brother, Marvin Biller. He was preceded in death by his sister, Verona Kidwell. He has two sons, Owen (Tom) A. Biller, Jr. and Douglas A. Biller. Tom?s wife is Martie and they have a son, Benjamin Biller and a daughter Susannah Biller. Douglas? wife is Pam Biller, They have 3 daughters and sons-in-laws. Their daughter Jennifer is married to Adam Hammond and they have a daughter Arabella. Rachel is their second daughter and she is married to Johnny Clemons, she has a son Jacob and a daughter Estella Rose. Their daughter Michelle has two children, Makayla and Micah. Owen went to Emerson High School in Gary Indiana. While in high school he was on the ROTC rifle team and lettered in marksmanship. He graduated and went to work for the United States Steel Corporation. He entered the Electrical Engineering Apprentice Program. He took courses offered by Purdue University and the in house electrical engineering training program at the United States Steel Corporation. He was awarded a degree equivalent in electrical engineering from the United States Steel Corporation. His job title was Head Utilities Analyst. He received numerous awards and honors for his outstanding work at the United States Steel Corporation. Among his awards was the "Thinker Award." This award is made to individuals who provide inventions and improvements to the steel making process and improve overall safety. He provided technical assistance and design improvements to a new steel making process called "Basic Oxygen Process." He also worked to help develop massive air purification devices called "Electrostatic Precipitators." These devices removed iron dust from the air and reused it to make more steel. He also helped to develop "Magnaflux Technology," and "Bulk Welding" procedures for very large applications. He was also awarded the Key Employee Award for his ability to trouble shoot problems throughout the entire 40 miles of steel mill that was then the United States Steel Corporation. He retired after 40 years of service. When World War II broke out, he volunteered for the Army. He was trained at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. His discharge papers indicate that he received The EAME Theatre Ribbon with three bronze stars, a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal World War II as well as Combat Infantryman?s Badge, Sharpshooters Badge and the Bronze Star. He was awarded a Medal lf Liberation from the French Government in June of 1994. He was in the 83rd Infantry, 331st Division, Company A. His highest attained rank was sergeant. He was a bazooka man. He received special clearance to operate that weapon, as it was a new portable weapon to be used against tanks and armored vehicles. He went to England with his unit the, Thunderbolts. He was part of the D-Day Invasion Force. He went ashore on Omaha Beach a couple days after D-Day. He fought his way inland and the first town his division liberated was Sainteny. He described that German SS Troops massacred many of the men in the town square just before the American troops took the town. When we returned for the D-Day plus 50 Celebration, the bullet holes were still in the stonewall in the square. There were also bullet holes in the church near the wall. Some grave markers had been broken during the German occupation. Many of these markers were not replaced, but were placed like pieces of a puzzle over the graves they marked. The people of Sainteny prepared a wonderful sit down dinner for the returning liberators and their families. We ate with the people of Sainteny and exchanged many wonderful memories-Souvenirs-as the French people call them. Owen continued to fight inland taking over a foxhole from a paratrooper from the 101st Airborne Division. The 83rd Infantry provided relief for the Airborne troops so they could regroup and get re-supplied and prepare for their next combat mission. Owen and his company fought on to the Battle of St. Lo. On July 17th 1944, he was in a foxhole fighting and he was one of 7 men left in his company. He told that his captain stood over him bleeding on him and said, "Biller, you are in charge now!" That was the last thing he remembered about that. He woke up in a field hospital in England nearly 3 months later. A German 88 Artillery shell exploded nearby killing his captain and other men with him. Their company had taken nearly complete casualties with Killed In Action and Wounded in Action. He said that was not the end of his combat days. Even though he was seriously wounded by a concussion that shattered most of his teeth and injured his sinuses seriously he was reassigned. General Eisenhower had issued orders that if anyone could peel potatoes they were to remain in the European Theatre. Once Owen recuperated from his concussion, he was enlisted in a highly secret and dangerous unit called OSS. He had special clearance. Family members observed his special clearance papers for the OSS in 1994 prior to returning to France for the D-Day Plus Fifty Celebration. The OSS is an early form of military intelligence and a precursor to the CIA. This unit was called the 388th MP Division and was specially enlisted to provide cover for supplies to General Patton. Their task was to ride the freight trains to the front line and back and protect the supplies going to Patton?s tanks and infantry. Many of the men enlisted to work in the 388th MP Unit had been members of the 83rd Infantry Division. The 83rd Infantry was nicknamed the Thunderbolts. They were assigned to Patton and earned their nickname, because under the leadership of General George S. Patton they covered more ground more swiftly than any other combat unit in the European Theatre. Owen indicated that this new assignment with the 388th MP Unit was even more dangerous than the regular combat assignment he had as a bazooka man. While riding shotgun on the trains to the front lines the regular German Army and Air Force were obviously after you. Additionally, German soldiers dressed in U.S. Army uniforms that were saboteurs, US deserters, Vichy French German collaborators and Black Market Thieves came at you with stealth and deceit. Sergeant Owen Biller and Sergeant Burton (an American Indian from Oklahoma who had fought through Africa, Italy, Sicily and Normandy) worked together as a team. They discovered a French Black Market Team pilfering petrol, medical and food supplies. Owen warned the thieves to stop stealing the military supplies. He let them know their activities were now uncovered and they should stop. These men ran the trains and were yard workers for the French Rail Road. That night Owen and Sergeant Burton walked along the rows of train cars with Browning 12 gauge Shotguns and flashlights. When they got to a certain point Owen turned off his flashlight and Sergeant Burton turned on his second flashlight and held the two lights at arm?s length. He appeared to be two men walking side by side as he proceeded down the row of railroad cars. When he got to the end of the switchyard, he heard gunfire. Sergeant Biller fired on the Black Market thieves and the son of the ringleader was killed. Sergeant Biller wanted only to wound, not kill any of them. Owen said, "When you are shooting double ought buckshot from a shotgun in pitch black and are surrounded by hostile, armed men, it is not always possible to only wound, even though you try to do so." The gunfight continued. Sergeant Burton arrived just as Sergeant Biller was out of ammunition and needed to reload. The men were closing in and planned to kill Owen. Together Sergeant Burton and Sergeant Biller caught the men and several others were wounded. The father of the young man who had been killed swore to kill the men that broke up the black market ring. Until the 388th MP Division was formed, it was not uncommon for supply trains to reach the front lines and have no food, medication, limited petrol and limited amounts of ammunition. The 388th MP Division was an operational success. When Owen returned home from the war, he continued to work for United States Steel Corporation. He and his wife, Mildred Lee Biller had two sons, Owen (Tom) Arthur Biller, Junior and Douglas Arlin Biller. Owen did not want to talk about the war or recall the events. He shut those events out of his mind. Later he indicated that he regretted not staying in touch with his war buddies. He indicated that the memories had been too painful and he tried to remove them from his mind. He began talking about the events of World War II about 20 years ago. When he began to remember the events, it was like a dam broke and he talked about the events freely. It appeared that talking about the events helped him make sense of what had happened. He became a Christian before leaving for the war. His faith in God is counted for saving his life on several occasions during combat. He spoke of how his faith in God helped him make it through the desperate times of battle and serious injury. He has been active in his church throughout his adult life. He has been a deacon and chairman of the deacon board for many years. He and his wife also taught Sunday School Classes for junior high and high school students. Owen and Mildred always had a heart for young people and that showed through in their willingness to share their time and resources with children. They had a farm in Indiana that became a summer and winter haven for hundreds of children and families to go swimming, fishing, sledding and ice-skating. They were glad to share what they had with their many friends at church. Owen and Mildred moved to Cleveland Tennessee about 15 years ago. They immediately got active in church and community activities. Owen became a deacon at Bellefonte Baptist Church. He also became active in patriotic activities in the community. They moved their membership to Westwood Baptist in order to ride to church with their son, Douglas and his family. When the 278th Military Unit was commissioned to go to Iraq, Owen spoke at a rally for them and prayed for them. He was faithful to pray for our soldiers every day. He did not forget what it was like to be a soldier under fire, to be hungry, tired and injured and in need of God?s grace and mercy. He prayed for our troops numerous times daily. He was a patriotic man who loved his country and respected the military. He was a man who did many things well and who enjoyed life. He was a hard act to follow. He was outside cutting brush and putting branches on a brush pile three weeks ago. A man who came from the funeral home today to take possession of Owen?s body commented, "He lived until he died, he did not merely exist prior to his death." That is a fitting end for one who lived life so well. He did not suffer at the end. He merely stopped breathing and went peacefully to be with his LORD and SAVIOUR. Owen Biller has always been a bigger than life character to his family and close friends. It did not seem that pneumonia and influenza would be able to kill him. We expected him to get well and come home and make plans for the spring planting. He loved his garden. He loved flowers, trees, animals and good music. He knew a lot about nature and was fascinated with God?s creation. He never ceased to amaze us at his versatility. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.