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About George W. Simonds
USINFO | 2014-01-07 11:59
Who was George W. Simonds and why was our school named after him?
George William Simonds was born January 26, 1915 in Oakland, California, and later moved with his family to San Jose. He attended San Jose Unified School District’s schools: Lowell Elementary, Roosevelt Jr. High, & San Jose High, and was an outstanding student. He attended San Jose State College briefly and later received his BA in Economics from Stanford University. He entered Stanford Law School in September 1931 for two years and then took a leave to work for Standard Oil Company in Texas.
In August 1941, Bill, as he liked to be called, was an enlisted draftee. He applied for officer training and trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, in early 1942. After being commissioned, he was assigned as an infantry instructor. As a First Lieutenant, Bill became a paratrooper in the 505th Paratroop Infantry attached to the famous 82nd Division.
Bill became a Captain and was sent overseas at Christmas 1943. He was in the first wave of paratroopers that landed in Normandy on “D” Day, June 6, 1944. In the Battle for Hill 95, on July 6th, 1944, George William Simonds was killed in action. Posthumously, he received the Silver Star for gallantry in action and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action.
Mrs. Bert Gale, Bill’s mother, served on the Board of Education for San Jose Unified School District for seventeen years. It was during her years of service that her son’s name was suggested as a name for a new school. In naming the school after him, SJUSD honored his mother for her years of service to the school district and honored Bill for his outstanding citizenship and gallantry. George W. Simonds Elementary School was opened and dedicated on June 1, 1966.
For our 30th Birthday Celebration in 1996, Mr. Bert Gale, Jr., Bill’s half-brother, and Mr. Charles Simonds, Bill’s brother, joined our entire school in a special school assembly with Board of Education members and community leaders.
In August 1941, Bill, as he liked to be called, was an enlisted draftee. He applied for officer training and trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, in early 1942. After being commissioned, he was assigned as an infantry instructor. As a First Lieutenant, Bill became a paratrooper in the 505th Paratroop Infantry attached to the famous 82nd Division.
Bill became a Captain and was sent overseas at Christmas 1943. He was in the first wave of paratroopers that landed in Normandy on “D” Day, June 6, 1944. In the Battle for Hill 95, on July 6th, 1944, George William Simonds was killed in action. Posthumously, he received the Silver Star for gallantry in action and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action.
Mrs. Bert Gale, Bill’s mother, served on the Board of Education for San Jose Unified School District for seventeen years. It was during her years of service that her son’s name was suggested as a name for a new school. In naming the school after him, SJUSD honored his mother for her years of service to the school district and honored Bill for his outstanding citizenship and gallantry. George W. Simonds Elementary School was opened and dedicated on June 1, 1966.
For our 30th Birthday Celebration in 1996, Mr. Bert Gale, Jr., Bill’s half-brother, and Mr. Charles Simonds, Bill’s brother, joined our entire school in a special school assembly with Board of Education members and community leaders.
