Derwood Clinton Biles

December 4, 1937 ~ July 5, 2003
Resided in:
Louisburg, NC
DERWOOD CLINTON BILES, 83, DIED SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2003. HE WAS BORN MAY 3, 1920, IN ADA, OKLA., THE SON OF THE LATE DEWITT CLAY AND RUTH ARLENA BAKER BILES.
COLONEL BILES ENLISTED IN THE INFANTRY AT FORT BENNING, GA., AUGUST 20, 1940. AFTER SERVICE WITH GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON AS A COURIER, HE WAS SENT TO OFFICER’S CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT KNOX, KY., 1942, AND WAS COMMISSIONED SECOND LIEUTENANT OF CALVARY, US ARMY IN 1943. DURING HIS 20-YEAR CAREER, HE WAS COMBAT WHICH INCLUDED SERVICE IN WWII DURING THE EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN AND COMBAT AT OMAHA BEACH WITH THE 7TH ARMORED DIVISION. HE WAS WOUNDED AT ST. LO, FRANCE, IN NOVEMBER 1944, DURING THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE GERMAN COUNTER OFFENSIVE.
AFTER RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUNDS, HE SERVED WITH OCCUPATIONAL FORCES IN GERMANY AND VARIOUS STATE-SIDE BASES. COL. BILES SERVED DURING THE KOREAN WAR 1952-1953, SEEING COMBAT DURING THREE MAJOR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST NORTH KOREAN AND CHINESE FORCES. HIS ASSIGNMENT WITH THE 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION COMMANDED BY MAJOR GENERAL SAMUEL T. WILLIAMS, “HANGING SAM”, WAS G-4 OF DIVISION.
RETURNING TO FORT CAMPBELL, KY., AFTER KOREA IN 1953, COL. BILES COMMANDED THE 78TH TANK BATTALION, 11TH AIRBORNE DIVISION. THE BATTALION WAS THE FIRST AIR DROPPABLE UNIT IN THE US ARMY AND COL. BILES WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPMENT OF DEPLOYMENT, WAR FIGHTING TACTICS AND ORGANIZATION OF THIS EXPERIMENTAL UNIT.
COL. BILES SERVED WITH THE 4TH ARMORED DIVISION AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS, IN VARIOUS STAFF AND COMMAND ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE REPORTING TO CAMP DARBY, ITALY IN OCTOBER 1956. WHILE THERE, HE SERVED AS INSPECTOR GENERAL AND INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONS STAFF OFFICER FOR SOUTHERN EUROPEAN TASK FORCE COMMAND (SETAF). HE RETIRED FROM THIS LAST ASSIGNMENT ON SEPT. 1, 1960, AT THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL.
COL. BILES WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR OF MEDAL FOR VALOR IN WWII AND A SECOND AWARD FOR THE KOREAN WAR SERVICE. HE WAS ALSO AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED ALONG WITH MANY OTHER DECORATIONS INCLUDING THE ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL, FRENCH AND BELGIAN CROIXDE-GUERRE AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE.
AFTER RETIREMENT FROM THE MILITARY, COL. BILES MOVED HIS FAMILY TO SEARCY, ARK., AND BECAME A PROMINENT FARMER AND CATTLE RANCHER FOR 40 YEARS. HE WAS ACTIVE IN POLITICS, SERVING AS CHAIRMAN OF WHITE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY AND WAS AN ELECTION OFFICIAL FOR MANY YEARS. COL. BILES RETIRED FROM ACTIVE FARMING IN 2000. RECENTLY HE AND MRS. BILES RELOCATED TO LAKE ROYALE IN FRABNKLIN COUNTY, NC.
HE WAS RECEDED IN DEATH BY THREE BROTHERS, JAMES A. BILES, PETER C. BILES, AND LLOYD W. BILES; AND BY TWO HALF-SISTERS, ELEANOR AND NOREEN; GRANDSON, DEWITT CLAY BILES.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 61 YEARS, MARGIE MAE MASSEY; DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, LINDA AND AL BUCK OF LAKE ROYLAE; SUSAN AND ROBERT POLLARD OF LAKE ROYALE; NINA RUTH AND THOMAS BOSTON OF LITTLE ROCK, ARK.; AND A SON, DERWOOD CLAY BILES AND KATHLEEN OF PARAGOULD, ARK.; GRANDCHILDREN, CHRISTINE BILES GRAMLING, SHARON BILES HARNETT, JAMES DAVID WYATT, KIMBERLY PAIGE BRIDGFORTH, ASHLEY DAWN HAWKINS, LAURA CATHERINE MANN, NINA MICHELLE BOSTON AND CLINTON THOMAS BOSTON; 10 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 2PM WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2003, AT WHEELER & WOODLIEF FUNERAL HOME. BURIAL WILL FOLLOW AT ROCKY MOUNT MEMORIAL PARK.
THE FAMILY WILL RECEIVE FRIENDS FROM 5-8PM TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2003, AT THE FUNERAL HOME.
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