Andrew G. Aldrin

Katherine , Andrew Aldrin's grand daughter writes... Born in Stjarnsfors, Varmland, Sweden 8-29-1889, Aldrin emigrated to the United States in 1911.

He settled in Minneapolis, MN where he became a US citizen. He was drafted and sent via Baltimore to fight in France. I must rely on "family legend" because I do not have much specific information about his time in the army. I do not know the date he joined the army, nor the date he was discharged. I do know that he was in Baltimore in August 1918 getting ready to ship out when my grandmother, Mabel Esther Lindberg, took the train to Baltimore and they were married.

My mother was born the next May, while he was still overseas.He appears in the 1920 census in Minneapolis, Minn, living with wife, baby daughter and mother-in-law. Aldrin; had three children and nine grandchildren. His daughter, Betty Hench Bentley, is still living and has possession of an album he made with postcards depicting life in the trenches. My aunt mailed me several snapshots of the album, and they depict the regimental colors of the 604th, a Col. Shultz, Lt. Col. Taylor and Major Young, headquarters at Camp Leach, Horses at Camp Leach, digging trenches, rifle range, pontoon bridge building and a Lt. Geary and his army.

Aldrin was mustard gassed in France and spent (I think) from 1920-1922 recuperating in Prescott, Arizona, where my Aunt Betty was born.  He later moved his family to Los Angeles where he attended Otis Institute of Art and devoted the rest of his life to fine art. You can view his paintings at his website http://www.aldrin.org/ or at the gallery in Santa Barbara that carries his estate: http://www.sullivangoss.com/.

Also of interest is his cousin, Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon.