Chattanoogan: Bill Eldridge Fought For America's Freedom In Europe, Then Was A Longtime School Administrator And Board Member

Before Bill Eldridge was a Hamilton County principal and school board member, he was fighting for American freedom in Europe.

 

Mr. Eldridge, who just turned 90, went into the Army in 1944 at age 18 after graduating from Soddy Daisy High School in 1944.

 

He spent five months in combat, including the Battle of the Bulge.

He was with a small "Recon" unit that paved the way for the Allied Army. He and his buddies at one time were pinned down under heavy German fire until getting reinforcements a day later.

 

Afterward, he was part of the security force over Nuremberg prisoners of war.  He also attended American University in Biarritz, France for three months and received nine hours of college credit.  He also served as an athletic director for the 1^st Division troops. 

 

He earned World War II Combat Battle Stars for the Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns with the 79^th Division Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized).

 

Bill was born May 23, 1926, in Soddy, the son of James Davis Eldridge and Willie Mae Coppinger Eldridge. His brothers were J.D. Eldridge and Roy Eldridge, a longtime court officer.

 

His dad was a farmer and Bill spent a considerable amount of time working on the farm.

 

Bill was married in 1952 to Billie C. McEwen. They have been married for 64 years.

 

Their sons are William David Eldridge (Abby) and James Michael Eldridge (Sherry).

 

The five grandchildren are Melissa, Michael, Davis, Will and Kaitlyn.

 

While at Sale Creek he was a member of Sale Creek Presbyterian Church and served as a deacon.  After leaving Sale Creek he attended Soddy United Methodist Church.  In the summer of 2010, he was baptized at Mountain Creek Church of Christ.

 

Bill attended Soddy Elementary and then Soddy Daisy High, where he played basketball and was in the top 10 in his class.

 

After his military service, he gained a B.S. degree from the University of Chattanooga and a master's from Peabody/Vanderbilt.

 

Bill went into teaching, spending 1950-1952 at Daisy Elementary.

Then he was in school administration for 43 years.

 

His tenure included:

 

           Sale Creek (Grades 1-12): 1952-1966

           Red Bank H.S. (Grades 10-12): 1966-1978

           Ooltewah H.S. (Grades 9-12): 1978-1986

           Soddy Daisy H.S. (Grades 9-12): 1986-1988

           Sequoyah Vocational (Grades 9-12): 1988-1993

 

Bill retired in 1993, then was on a school board from 1996 to 2004.

 

He was the first principal in surrounding counties to reach Level 3 of the state's Career Ladder Program.

 

Bill Eldridge is recognized on the Wall of Fame at Veterans Park by the city of Soddy Daisy

for his World War II service.

 

He was inducted into the Soddy Daisy High School Hall of Fame in 2013.