Elwood Richard Andrews Sr.
2LT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co D
ASN#20250961
Born 1911 in NJ, Died 1985
County of residence at enlistment: Richmond County, NY
Other residence(s): Bronx, NY; Staten Island, NY; Tampa Bay, FL
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: locomotive engineers (probably civil engineer)
College education before the war: 1 year
Elwood Andrews was born on October 28, 1911 in Red Bank, NJ, the middle of three children. His father was a civil engineer with the federal government and the family relocated several times. In 1920 they were living in the Bronx, and by 1925 in Staten Island.
Elwood's father died in 1926, when his son was 15. Elwood completed a year of college (according to his enlistment record) and, like his father, pursued an engineering career. In the 1930 census his profession is listed as civil engineer, and in 1940 as a draftsman with the US Engineer's Office.
Elwood joined the National Guard in the summer of 1940 for an 18-month stint. He registered for the draft on December 4, 1941, and re-enlisted in the Guard in January 1942. On September 1, 1942 he ended his service with the Guard and enlisted in the regular Army. He was eventually assigned to the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, and saw service in Europe with the unit. He was discharged on December 20, 1945 with the rank of 2LT.
Elwood married Margaret Walker in July, 1946 and they settled on Staten Island, becoming the parents of two children: Elwood Jr. and Margaret-Ann in 1949 and 1950. The 1950 census lists Elwood's profession as dredging engineer, but also characterizes him as "unable to work."
Little else is known of his life. In February, 1969 his daughter Margaret-Ann announced her engagement, and in September of that year Elwood's wife Margaret died.
Elwood was married a second time, to Helen Moylan Hanna, in 1971. At some point they moved to the Tampa Bay area in Florida, where Elwood died on January 2, 1985.
Sources
1920 census
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31843056:6061?ssrc=pt&ti...
1925 NY state census
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/15900661:2704?tid=&pid=&...
1930 census
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/45765519:6224?tid=&pid=&...
1940 census
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4169463:2442?tid=&pid=&a...
1940 enlistment record
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2897024:8939?tid=&pid=&a...
1940-42 NY National Guard service card
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/425458:60808?tid=&pid=&a...
1941 draft card
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/193766649:2238?tid=&pid=...
1946 marriage license record
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/947212:61406?tid=&pid=&a...
1950 census
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/285411735:62308?tid=&pid...
1969 article in the Staten Island Sunday Advance (NY) about his daughter's engagement
genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A143919AB216268A1%40GB3...
1971 marriage license (2nd marriage)
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/905524989:61406?ssrc=pt&...
1985 Florida death index
search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7338&h=22...
1985 Find a Grave record
findagrave.com/memorial/160219559/elwood-r-andrews?_gl=1*1b824j0*_...
1985 VA death record
ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5462407:2441?tid=&pid=&a...