George Betor This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. Ewing Observer -> : Generally Speaking

   www.ewingobserver.com/default. - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/1/2004   Last Visited: 6/3/2005

   George Betor (Ret.), 80, has lived in the same home in Ewing for 46 years. He graduated from Trenton Catholic Boys High School, where he played football, in 1941.
   
   He was a student at Trenton State Teachers College on Dec. 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted in the Marine Corps the next day but had to finish his first semester before attending boot camp in January 1942.
   
   Thus began a mind-boggling tour of the world for Betor. In San Diego for boot camp, he became a private first class and was shipped to the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After only 16 days in Brooklyn, he was returned to San Diego to serve as a drill instructor.
   
   He spent a few months traveling and then was made a drill instructor of the Sea School. In Oct. 1942, Betor was sent to Naval Station Treasure Island, from which he was shipped to Pearl Harbor-but not for long. In Nov. 1942, Betor went to Guadalcanal.
   
   After Guadalcanal, he was sent to New Zealand, where he helped form the 2nd Marine Division. At Tarawa, Betor received a battlefield commission from sergeant to second lieutenant. Once Tarawa was secured, he returned to New Zealand where he became part of the 3rd Marine Division. They landed at Saipan, Tinian and Guam.
   
   "Then they asked for anybody who was overseas two years to make them known," says Betor. "I thought I was going to go back to the States, but because of my background with the Sea School, they put me aboard the (aircraft carrier) U.S.S. Essex as commandant of the marine detachment."
   
   Betor served the last 10 months of the war aboard the Essex, which was twice hit in kamikaze attacks.
   
   "I fought in the islands for over two years and I think duty aboard the aircraft carrier was just as harrowing because there was no place to hide," he says.
   
   Betor finally returned home for Christmas of 1945 as a captain in the Marines. After WWII, he finished college, ultimately earning a doctorate from Trenton State Teachers College.
   
   Notified that he was going to lose his commission, he joined the N.J. Army National Guard 112th Field Artillery in Lawrence. He saw action in 1950 in Korea and returned to the National Guard after that. He retired at the mandatory age of 60.
   
   In his civilian career, Betor started teaching in Burlington High School and became superintendent of schools in Beverly. He later became superintendent of schools in Monroe Township and then Woodbridge, where he retired as superintendent in 1983.
   
   Betor married his wife, Ernestine, in 1953. They have three children, Kathleen, Jan and George, and three grandchildren.
   ...
   George Betor (Ret.): No.
   ...
   Betor, how did you find out that they were going to name a park after you?