Edgar Benjamin Tiemann "Boots" was born at Hollow, Missouri on July 4, 1913. He was the fifth child of Joseph Albert and Barbara (Paubel) Tiemann. His sibblings were: William Martin, Rose Marie (Hardt), Gertrude Emelia (Yansky), Louella Caroline (Creswick), Albert Joseph, Laverne (Bayer) and Daniel August.

He worked for the St. Louis Coca-Cola Bottling Company after graduating from Hollow High School, delivering their product to businesses in Alton. On 22 April 1938, he was married to Lelia Martha Dillon in Alton, Illinois. They had three children: Vivian Marie, Edgar Richard and Patricia Jeanette. He was an active member of St. Peter and Paul's Church in Alton and was a fourth degree knight in the Knights of Columbus. He purchased an ice cream shop in Edwardsville, Illinois and had plans to go into the hotel business.

He was drafted into the army in March of 1944 and served with the 1st Division, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Platoon, 16th Infantry, CO L, "The Big Red One" in England, France, Belgium and Germany. He was wounded in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, November 23, 1944 on Thanksgiving Day and sent to a General hospital near Cheltenham, England. He returned to his unit on April 13, 1945 and on their way to Berlin was killed in Tanne, Germany April 17, 1945.

He received a Purple Heart for his wounds in the Hurtgen, a Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, a Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge. First buried in Breuna, Germany, removed to U.S. Military Cemetery in Margraten, Holland. His body was returned to Alton in 1948, and he was buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery. His name is also among those engraved on the 1st Div. Monument next to the White House.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com