Title: Waldemar F. Breidster Papers and Photographs
Inclusive Dates: 1920-1979

Creator:

• Breidster, Waldemar F.

Call Number: WVM Mss 948

Quantity: 0.8 linear ft. (2 archives boxes and 3 oversized folders) of papers and 0.1 linear ft. (9 folders and 1 oversized folder) of photographs.

Repository:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Have questions? Contact the Reference Archivist

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)

See the catalog entry for current shelf locations and additions.

Abstract:

The papers and photographs of Waldemar F. Breidster, a star football player at West Point, an officer who served in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II, and a brigadier general in the Wisconsin National Guard during the 1950s. Collection contains scattered documents relating to Breidster's military service and his football career at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Correspondence, proceedings from hearings, and medical reports relate to his efforts to retire with medical benefits from active service following World War II. Another set of documents reveal that Breidster exceeded the Army's standard weight limits prior to World War II and was ordered to lose eight pounds. He pointed out a special exemption he had received, though, and the order was rescinded. Other papers from his military service include pay and medical records, orders, and papers relating to Army Extension courses. Newspaper clippings, programs, and schedules reveal details about his athletic career at West Point. Focusing mainly on football, the papers show that Breidster was an All-American guard and captain of the team in 1922. Menus and dance programs document some of the social activities he participated in at West Point. The photographs, which are scattered and mostly unidentified, consist of several pictures of Breidster in uniform at various stages of his career, two photos of the 32nd Division staff, and shots taken at banquets and field artillery exercises. There is one photograph of an Army football team of which Breidster was a member.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss00948

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Waldemar F. Breidster was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 19, 1900. He attended local schools and graduated from East (later Riverside) High School, where he was a star football player. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1917 but left the following year to attend an officer's training camp at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He completed the course, was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant (Infantry), and was discharged at the end of 1918 following World War I. In June 1919 enrolled at the United States Military Academy and proceeded to accumulate numerous honors during his four years there. He served as president of his class and was elected Cadet Captain of the academy, the highest rank for a cadet, in his final year. He played football all four years, was the captain of the team his senior year, and was named to numerous All-American teams at right guard. Breidster also excelled on the swim and water polo teams, and had roles in several dramatic presentations.

Upon graduation from West Point in 1923 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant (Signal Corps). On January 27, 1928 he joined the Wisconsin National Guard as a captain of field artillery. He earned several promotions and achieved the rank of colonel in 1940. When the Wisconsin National Guard was called into active service in 1940, Breidster accompanied the 121st Field Artillery Regiment to Louisiana for training at Camps Beauregard and Livingston. In February 1942 he transferred to command of the 173rd Field Artillery Regiment, which moved in August to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. In August 1943 he traveled to China where he helped train Chinese artillery units. He rose to the position of Chief of Staff of the Northern Combat Area Command and the Chinese Army in India, serving under General Joseph Stilwell.

Following the war, Breidster left the Army briefly but rejoined in December 1946. In March 1947 he received a promotion to Brigadier General and assumed command of the artillery of the Wisconsin National Guard. He went on to become Commanding General of the entire Wisconsin National Guard and was promoted to Major General before retiring from active duty in 1960.

Breidster married Roma Wirth in 1930 and the couple had two sons, William and John. He passed away in Milwaukee on April 2, 1982.

The papers of Waldemar F. Breidster are divided into 2 series: Papers and Photographs.

Papers (1920-1979) contains scattered documents relating to Breidster's military service and his football career at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Breidster served in the military for roughly forty years, but the materials in this collection really only focus on several particular aspects of his service. Correspondence, proceedings from hearings, and medical reports relate to his retirement from active service following World War II. Immediately following his initial retirement he began suffering some medical problems and subsequently sought to show that these maladies resulted from his military service. The materials show Breidster's determination to win his case and the Army's reluctance to grant his request. The last of the papers suggests that he was not allowed to retire with any sort of disability benefits. Another interesting set of documents reveal that Breidster exceeded the Army's standard weight limits prior to World War II and was ordered to lose eight pounds. He pointed out a special exemption he had received, though, and the order was rescinded. Other papers from his military service include pay and medical records, orders, and papers relating to Army Extension courses. Newspaper clippings, programs, and schedules reveal details about his athletic career at West Point. Focusing mainly on football, the papers show that Breidster was an All-American guard and captain of the team in 1922. He also participated in swimming and water polo, and had several roles in plays. Menus and dance programs document some of the social activities he participated in at West Point. The correspondence is scattered and very general. Many of the letters show Breidster keeping in touch with former Army buddies.

Photographs (1923-1963) consist of scattered and mostly unidentified photographs related to Breidster's military service. There are several photographs of him in uniform at various stages of his career. He is also identifiable in 32nd Division staff photos and several group shots. The series also contains pictures from several banquets and field artillery exercises, both of which are unidentified. There is one photograph of an Army football team of which Breidster was a member.

Acquisition Information

Presented by John Breidster, Fox Point, WI, 1990.

Processing Information

Processed by Russell Horton in 2006.

	Series: Papers
Box   1 Folder   1	Biographical information, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Correspondence, 1936-1963
	Subseries: Football Accolades	⇧
Box   1 Folder   3	National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, 1960
Box   1 Folder   4	Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, 1979
Box   1 Folder   5	Ephemera, undated
Box   1 Folder   6	Memorial Day materials, 1949, 1960
Box   1 Folder   7	Military papers, 1925-1960
Box   1 Folder   8	121st Field Artillery history, undated
Box   1 Folder   9	Army Extension Courses, 1931-1936
Ov   23 Folder   1	Certificates, 1958-1969
Box   1 Folder   10	Medical records, 1940-1958
Box   1 Folder   11	Orders, 1941-1946
Box   1 Folder   12	Pay records, 1941-1946
Box   1 Folder   13	Personal service records, 1935-1947
Box   1 Folder   14	Retirement from active duty, 1945-1947
Box   1 Folder   15	Transporting personal effects, 1942
Box   1 Folder   16	Weight issues, 1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   17	Newspaper clipping, circa 1941-1960
Box   1 Folder   18	Speeches, undated
Box   2 Folder   1	West Point, 1922-1923, 1978
Box   2 Folder   2	Acting, 1921-1923
Box   2 Folder   3	Athletics, 1921-1922
Ov   23 Folder   2	Newsletter “The Bray,” 1920
Box   2 Folder   4	Football, 1920-1923
Box   2 Folder   5	Game programs, 1922
Box   2 Folder   6-7	Newspaper clippings, 1920-1923
Box   2 Folder   8	Play diagrams, circa 1922
Ov   22 Folder   2	Sketch drawing, undated
Box   2 Folder   9	Social activities, 1921-1922
	Series: Photographs	⇧
Ph   21 Folder   1	Waldemar Breidster [6] , undated
Ph   21 Folder   2	32nd Division staff [2] , 1958-1959
Ph   21 Folder   3	Banquets [3] , 1958
Ph   21 Folder   4	American Ordnance Association [2], 1963
Color Ph   3 Folder   35	Camp McCoy [2] , 1948-1949
Paper Print   3 Folder   35	Camp McCoy, (paper prints) [2] 1948-1949
Ph   21 Folder   6	Field artillery exercises [2] , undated
Ph   21 Folder   7-8	Group shots [9] , undated
PhOv   14 Folder   5	Oversized [1] , undated
Color PhOv   4 Folder   2	Oversized [1] , undated
Paper Print   4 Folder   5	Oversized (paper print) [1] , undated
Ph   21 Folder   9	West Point football [1] , 1923