Ed Bearss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Bearss
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Bearss in 2020
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| Born | 26 June 1923 |
| Died | 15 September 2020 (aged 97) |
| Education |
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| Occupation | |
| Employer | National Park Service (1955–1995) |
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| Spouse(s) |
Margie Riddle
(m. 1958; died 2006) |
| Military career | |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years | 1941–1946 |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines |
| Conflicts |
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Edwin Cole Bearss (born June 26, 1923 – died September 15, 2020) was a famous historian of the American Civil War. He was also a popular tour guide and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who fought in World War II.
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Early Life and Family
Edwin Cole Bearss was born in Billings, Montana, on June 26, 1923. He grew up on his grandfather's ranch near Hardin, Montana. He went to a small one-room school in Sarpy, Montana.
On July 30, 1958, Bearss married Margie Riddle. She was an author and teacher from Mississippi. They had three children: Sara, Edwin Jr., and Mary. The family lived in Arlington, Virginia. Margie passed away around 2006, and Edwin Bearss died on September 15, 2020.
Education Journey
Bearss went to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin starting in 1937. He graduated from Hardin High School in 1941.
After his military service, he went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University in 1949. Later, he received a Master of Arts degree from Indiana University in 1955. He was able to get these degrees thanks to the G.I. Bill. This program helped veterans pay for their education.
Bearss also received special honorary degrees. Lincoln College gave him one in 2005. Gettysburg College honored him in the same way in 2010.
Military Service in World War II
Bearss joined the United States Marine Corps in 1941. He served during World War II. He was part of the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. He fought in important battles like the Guadalcanal campaign and the New Britain campaign. He was with the 1st Marine Division.
In 1943, he got malaria in the South Pacific. He had to go to New Zealand to get better. On January 2, 1944, during the Battle of Cape Gloucester, Bearss was hit by machine-gun fire. He spent 26 months recovering in the hospital. He left the Marines in March 1946 as a corporal.
Career as a Historian
In 1955, Edwin Bearss started working for the National Park Service (NPS). He worked in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He wrote historical studies for the NPS. He also started the Mississippi Civil War Roundtable, a group for history fans.
While working for the NPS, he made some amazing discoveries. He found a Civil War cannon called Widow Blakely (also known as Whistling Dick). This cannon was used in the Vicksburg campaign. He also found the sunken ship, the USS Cairo. Bearss also located two lost forts in Grand Gulf, Mississippi. He helped make Grand Gulf a state military monument.
Bearss became the chief historian for the NPS from 1981 to 1994. He then worked as a special assistant for military sites until 1995. In 1991, he was named the chief historian for military sites. Many people also saw him on the famous Ken Burns TV series, The Civil War.
Bearss retired from the NPS in 1995. But he kept leading tours of Civil War battlefields. He led tours for groups like the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society. The NPS gave him a special title: National Park Service Historian Emeritus. This means he was a historian for life. A special award, the Bearss Fellowship Award, was created in his honor. It helps NPS employees study American History.
Awards and Recognition
Edwin Bearss received many awards for his work. In 1964, he became a fellow of the Company of Military Historians. He won the Nevins-Freeman Award in 1980 for his work on the American Civil War.
In 1983, the Department of the Interior gave him the Distinguished Service Award. The United States Secretary of the Army honored him in 1985. In 2011, he received the Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement from The Lincoln Forum. This award recognized his contributions to the spirit of Abraham Lincoln.
In 2015, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to give him the Congressional Gold Medal. This was to recognize his work in preserving Civil War history. It also honored his efforts to make history exciting for new generations. In 2018, the American Battlefield Trust gave him its first Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honored his many years of researching and sharing the nation's past. It also recognized his work in protecting battlefields.
