Edward E. Benson

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS EDWARD E. BENSON was born in Duluth MN around 1922 to William and Lillian Benson. Beside Edward and his parents, the family included a sister, Ruth, and two brothers, William Charles and John Allen Benson. Mr. and Mrs. Benson divorced prior to the beginning of World War II. 

Edward Benson grew up in Duluth. Before the war he worked as a carrier-salesman for the Duluth Herald & Tribune. He had also joined the Minnesota National Guard. When the guard was called up in 1941, he went on active duty as a member of the 125th Field Artillery Regiment. He later was assigned to the 264th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division.

The 66th Infantry Division was activated April 15, 1943 at Camp Blanding FL.. On August 17, 1943 the division moved to Camp Joseph T. Robinson AR, and on to Camp Rucker AL on April 7, 1944. While at Camp Rucker, Private Benson received word that his brother-in-law, Private First Class Edward A. Kent, was killed in action while serving with the 15th Infantry regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in Southern France.

The 66th Infantry Division received word to go overseas, and traveled to a staging area at Camp Shanks NY, arriving on November 23rd. The 66th departed from the New York Port of Embarkation on December 1, 1944, arriving in England on December 12th. 

On the night of December 24th, 1944 Edward Benson and much of the rest of the 66th Infantry Division was aboard the transport Leopoldville when she was torpedoed and sunk. Also lost that night was Staff Sergeant Robert F. Miles, of Camden NJ. Of the 2,235 men aboard the Leopoldville, 516 GIs were missing and presumed drowned, and another 248 died from injuries, drowning, and hypothermia. Edward Benson was among the missing.

Although he spent most of his life in Minnesota, Private First Class Benson listed his address as with his father William Benson at 415 Vine Street, Camden NJ. Only 22 at the time of his death, he was reported killed in action in the March 10, 1945 edition of the Camden Courier-Post.  He was survived by his brothers, who both were serving in the armed forces at the time, his sister, and his parents.

 Tablets of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery

Click on Image to Enlarge 

To learn more about the Leopoldville disaster, and what happened to
 Edward Benson and Robert Miles, click on the links below

Final Crossing of the Leopoldville

The S.S. Leopoldville wrecksite (1928-1944)