William D. Becker
Encyclopedia
William Dee Becker was the thirty-fifth Mayor of St. Louis, from 1941 to 1943.
Becker, the son of German immigrants, graduated from Harvard University
and St. Louis Law School. After 15 years of private law practice, he was elected to a twelve-year term on the St. Louis Court of Appeals in 1916. He was re-elected for second 12-year term in 1928. In 1941 Becker was the Republican Party
nominee for Mayor of St. Louis. He defeated incumbent Mayor Bernard F. Dickmann
(a Democrat) who was seeking election to a third term in the April 1941 election.
Perhaps the most significant development during Becker's term as mayor was the adoption of a civil service
amendment to the City Charter. The amendment enacted a merit system for the hiring of city employees. Prior to that time, a political patronage system prevailed in which all city employees could be replaced with a change of partisan administration. Becker supported the civil service reform and it was approved by the voters in September 1941. Becker also retained Raymond Tucker
who had been appointed Smoke Commissioner by Mayor Dickmann, and supported his efforts to reduce air pollution within the city.
On the Sunday afternoon of August 1, 1943, St. Louis aircraft manufacturer William B. Robertson
was hosting the first public demonstration of a new Waco CG-4
glider, built under sub-contract by his company. As a crowd of spectators watched at the Lambert St. Louis Airport, Mayor Becker, Robertson, and other St. Louis luminaries boarded the glider that was towed along by a transport plane for a flight over the city. Without warning, the right wing of the glider broke off, along with the towing cable, and the glider plummeted from an altitude of 1,500 feet, killing all ten persons on board. Robertson, who was 46, was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Aloys P. Kaufmann
, president of the city's Board of Aldermen, succeeded Becker as Mayor of St. Louis.
Becker, the son of German immigrants, graduated from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and St. Louis Law School. After 15 years of private law practice, he was elected to a twelve-year term on the St. Louis Court of Appeals in 1916. He was re-elected for second 12-year term in 1928. In 1941 Becker was the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for Mayor of St. Louis. He defeated incumbent Mayor Bernard F. Dickmann
Bernard F. Dickmann
Bernard Francis Dickmann was the thirty-fourth mayor of St. Louis .-Biography:...
(a Democrat) who was seeking election to a third term in the April 1941 election.
Perhaps the most significant development during Becker's term as mayor was the adoption of a civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
amendment to the City Charter. The amendment enacted a merit system for the hiring of city employees. Prior to that time, a political patronage system prevailed in which all city employees could be replaced with a change of partisan administration. Becker supported the civil service reform and it was approved by the voters in September 1941. Becker also retained Raymond Tucker
Raymond Tucker
Raymond Tucker was the thirty-eighth Mayor of St. Louis, serving from 1953 to 1965.- Personal life and early career :...
who had been appointed Smoke Commissioner by Mayor Dickmann, and supported his efforts to reduce air pollution within the city.
On the Sunday afternoon of August 1, 1943, St. Louis aircraft manufacturer William B. Robertson
William B. Robertson
Major William Bryan Robertson was an American aviator and aviation executive who was the co-founder of Lambert-St. Louis Flying Field as well as the owner and President of Robertson Aircraft Corporation located there, a company which he had co-founded with his brother, Frank, in 1918.RAC...
was hosting the first public demonstration of a new Waco CG-4
Waco CG-4
The Waco CG-4 was the most widely used United States troop/cargo military glider of World War II. It was designated the CG-4 by the United States Army Air Forces, and named Hadrian in British military service....
glider, built under sub-contract by his company. As a crowd of spectators watched at the Lambert St. Louis Airport, Mayor Becker, Robertson, and other St. Louis luminaries boarded the glider that was towed along by a transport plane for a flight over the city. Without warning, the right wing of the glider broke off, along with the towing cable, and the glider plummeted from an altitude of 1,500 feet, killing all ten persons on board. Robertson, who was 46, was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Aloys P. Kaufmann
Aloys P. Kaufmann
Aloys P. Kaufmann was the thirty-sixth Mayor of St. Louis, serving from 1943 to 1949....
, president of the city's Board of Aldermen, succeeded Becker as Mayor of St. Louis.