William A. Behr – Commander, United States Navy

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From a contemporary press report:

William A. Behr, 79, who retired from the Naval Reserve as a Commander and was superintendent of buildings and grounds at the Hyattsville branch of the Prince George’s County library system, died September 16, 1999 at his home in Adelphi of cardiac arrest.

Commander Behr was born in St. Louis and joined the Navy in 1941 after graduating from St. Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

He was a pilot in the Pacific theater and won the Navy Cross for helping sink the Japanese light fleet aircraft carrier Ryujo during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in 1942.

Commander Behr also was awarded the Purple Heart that same year when his left leg was torn by shrapnel after his plane was hit.

He served in the Korean War and then stayed in the reserves until 1980. From 1954 to 1969, he was vice president of TecFab Inc., a concrete products firm in Beltsville, and for the next few years was manager of operations and sales for Miller & Long, a construction company in Bethesda.

He worked for the library system in Hyattsville from 1972 to 1990 and spent one more year as a consultant there before retiring completely.

Mr. Behr was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Beltsville for the last year and a half, but before that belonged to St. Camillus Catholic Church in Silver Spring for more than two decades.

He also was a member of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus and Royal Order of the Moose.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Betty J. Behr of Adelphi; two sons, John William Behr of College Park and James Anthony Behr of Laurel; two daughters, Dorothy Farrell of Bowie and Lori Ann Behr of Reston; four grandchildren; four sisters; and three brothers.

BEHR, WILLIAM ANTHONY, CDR, USN (Ret.)

On September 16, 1999, of Adelphi, MD, beloved husband of Betty June; devoted father of Dorothy Farrell, Lori, John and CTA1(SW/AW) James Behr, USN; loving grandfather of Sean, Conor, Nicholas and Tyler. Also survived by four sisters and three brothers. Funeral service will be held Friday, October 8, at 8:45 a.m. at Ft. Myer Chapel. Interment Arlington National Cemetery. If desired, expressions of sympathy in his name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Attention: Memorial/Honor Program FH, P.O. Box 000, Dept. 300, Memphis, TN 38148-0552.

BEHR, WILLIAM A

  • CDR   US NAVY
  • WORLD WAR II, KOREA
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 03/29/1920
  • DATE OF DEATH: 09/16/1999
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 66  SITE 5035
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

BEHR, BETTY

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 06/28/1926
  • DATE OF DEATH: 05/22/2006
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 66  SITE 5035
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF BEHR, WILLAIM A CDR   US NAVY

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