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Airman First Class Barton “Bart” Junior Gressmen

A sepia photo of a man in work pants and rolled up sleeves of a workshirt, along with a wide-brimmed hat, spraying a firehose into the air and smiling with his eyes closed.
  • Unit: 60th Motor Vehicle Squadron
  • Date of Birth: November 2, 1932
  • Entered the Military: August 8, 1951
  • Date of Death: April 17, 2017
  • Hometown: Goshen, Utah
  • Place of Death: Hurricane, Utah
  • Award(s): National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the Occupation Medal - Germany
  • Cemetery: Section A, Grave 1673. Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park, Bluffdale, Utah
Contributed by Ellie Allred, Maysen Baranowski, Jasmine Burnett, Jessi Christensen, Ryker Dallinga, Izola Dunlevy, Ideyn Estrada, Logan Forbes, Harper Gregersen, Elle, Jane, Malachi Johns, Gunnar Knudsen, Kieran Langeland, Evelyn Lee, Witten Lundberg, Micah Mecham, Jordan Mendoza, Kylianne O'Gwin, Ambyer, Hailey Quillen, Gabriel Reynolds, Oliver Schofield, Lana Seale, Aiden Smith, Dani Stoddard, and Treyson Taylor
Mentored by Mrs. Heidi Stone
Syracuse Arts Academy Junior High School (Syracuse, Utah)
2024/2025

Early Life

Barton Gressmen was born on November 2, 1932, in Goshen, Utah. He was raised by his mother, Belle Utahna, and father, Orvil, alongside his brother, Larry. While living in Goshen, his father worked at the Tintic Standard Mining Company.  By the time Gressmen was 17, his family had relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, where Orvil began working in the construction industry. 

Gressmen worked as a busboy in the cafe at F.W. Woolworth Company, and later as a stock clerk. While attending West High School, he completed one year of ROTC training.

A snippet of the 1950 Census showing Gressmen, his parents, and sibling in Salt Lake City.
The 1950 Census shows that the Gressmen family had moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. National Archives and Records Administration.
Excerpt from a newspaper article that lists Gressmen as attending the military prom.
Article in the Desert News about the Military Prom at West High School, February 14, 1950.
A black and white photo of the storefront of the F.W. Woolworth and Co. building.
F.W. Woolworth Company in Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah Stories.

Homefront

Goshen, Utah, was located within the Tintic Mining District, a significant hub for the production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc.

Following the closure of some mines during the Great Depression, the population of Goshen rapidly declined as people relocated in search of work. Most of the remaining residents became farmers, and part of the local economy is still based on agriculture. 

Goshen is located 45 minutes from Camp Williams, a National Guard training site. Between 1930 and 1952, Camp Williams underwent significant growth, including the addition of facilities capable of accommodating up to 3,000 men. At the beginning of the Korean War, Utah had five battalions of the Utah National Guard called to active duty, comprising 2,070 officers and enlisted personnel. The first of these battalions, the 204th Field Artillery Battalion, left in January 1951. 

A black and white photo of several concrete structures on the side of a mountain.
Tintic Standard Reduction Mill, Warm Springs Mountain, Goshen, Utah, c.1968. Library of Congress (ut0116).
A black and white aerial photograph of multiple barracks on lined streets. There are several companies of soldiers standing in formation throughout the image.
Camp Williams, Utah, 1949. Utah State Legislature.

Military Experience

After graduating from West High School in 1951, Barton Gressmen—known as Bart by his friends and family—enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on August 8, 1951, at Fort Douglas, Utah. 

After Gressmen completed basic training, he attended an automotive preventive maintenance course in Longview, Texas, before being assigned to the 60th Motor Vehicle Squadron in Germany. The boy from the small town of Goshen traveled to New York City, boarded a ship, and spent ten days crossing the Atlantic. He arrived in Germany on February 8, 1952. 

While stationed in Germany for three and a half years, Gressmen performed light maintenance on jeeps, as well as more in-depth maintenance on engines. He also helped maintain other military forms of transportation, including but not limited to trucks, armored cars, staff cars, tractors, and various towing equipment.

While serving in Germany, he was received several awards for his military service, including the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and an Occupation Medal (Germany). In 1955, Barton Gressmen was honorably discharged from duty in Germany and moved on to serve his community in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. 

A typed document, signed by Gressmen.
Bart Gressmen’s military enlistment paperwork, 1951. National Archives and Records Administration.
A typed paper with multiple passengers listed, as well as their luggage weight and total weight.
Flight manifest from Germany to McGuire Air Force Base in Wrightstown, New Jersey, 1955. National Archives and Records Administration.

Veteran Experience

Gressmen traded in the smaller jeep engines in Germany for a fire truck when he joined the Salt Lake Fire Academy in May 1957. He later married Lillian Yvonne “Bonnie” Bell and had four children: Scott, Bret, Debbie, and Tracy. 

His service to his country continued as a fireman, working on Christmas and waving to his children as he drove by their house in the fire truck. While working for the Salt Lake City Fire Department in August 1980, a dangerous chemical fire broke out at Van Rogers and Company, spewing dark smoke and chlorine gas throughout the area. Gressmen and six other firefighters were injured and admitted to LDS Hospital. Due to the inefficiency of the respiratory equipment, Gressmen and the other firefighters breathed in chlorine the entire time they fought the fire; Gressmen was affected most severely.

Because of this brave act, Gressmen was no longer able to fight any fires due to the damage done to his lungs. The city tasked Gressmen with establishing local HAZMAT protocols and OSHA compliance efforts in Salt Lake City, protecting others from dangerous working conditions. 

A New Chapter

After 29 distinguished years as a firefighter, Gressmen retired on January 1, 1986, from the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Bonnie and Barton Gressmen divorced during this time. In 1999, Gressmen met and married Neva Mouser, extending his family to include his stepchildren Jim, Trish, and Lee.

After retiring, he continued working as a special needs bus driver for children at Hartvigson School in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he drove for 15 years. During that time, his clear love for the children he helped earned him a nomination for the Excellence in Education Award in 1997. It was only his health that forced Gressmen to give up his beloved role as a bus driver at the age of 69.

In 2005, Gressmen and his wife, Neva, made their dreams of living in southwest Utah a reality and moved to Hurricane, Utah, where he lived for ten years until his passing. Throughout his life, he held fast to his faith and values. He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as a Bishop and on the Stake High Council. 

An older man smiles into the camera. He is wearing a suit and tie.
Bart Gressmen, Salt Lake City Fire Department Yearbook. Courtesy of Catherine Cooper.
An older man is wearing a uniform with a short-sleeved blue shirt and black pants. A young boy stands on a yellow firetruck next to him. The boy is wearing red shorts and a striped shirt. Both are smiling in the camera.
Bart Gressmen with his son, Tracy. Courtesy of Tracy Gressmen.
A student worksheet with the words ‘I love my busdriver Bart because…” typed at the top. Around it in crayon are the words, “He drives me to school safely, I love you Bart!, and He eats my pretend cookies.” In the center of the worksheet is a photo of a young student getting off the bus with a pink backpack. There is an older woman bus aide standing behind the child and Bart is sitting in the driver’s seat of the bus, smiling toward the camera.
Bart Gressmen was a beloved bus driver for children with disabilities. Courtesy of Tracy Gressmen.
An older man in a sweater and dress slacks stands in front of a yellow school bus. He is wearing glasses and has a mustache and white hair. He is smiling toward the camera.
Bart Gressmen in front of his school bus. Courtesy of Tracy Gressmen.

Commemoration

Bart Gressmen passed away on April 17, 2017, at the age of 84. Not everyone serves in combat or performs dramatic acts of heroism overseas, but he shows us that quiet service and a gentle helping hand behind the scenes can save countless lives and uplift those around us. 

Gressmen was buried at Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah. His tombstone proudly declares him a member of the United States Air Force, but his true legacy lies in the impact he had on his family, friends, and community. Whether through his years of dedicated military service, his bravery as a firefighter, his faith in following his Heavenly Father’s callings in the church, or his compassion as a bus driver for children with special needs, Bart Gressmen exemplified a life of quiet heroism. His kindness, strength, and unwavering commitment to helping others will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him. 

He leaves behind a lasting legacy for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A flat, rectangular, marble marker is engraved with, “Barton J. Gressmen US Air Force Korea Nov 2 1932 Apr 17 2017.” On the left-side of the marker is a picture of Gressmen as a firefighter. On the right, is a photo of him in front of his bus. Both photos are in gold frames. In the middle is a tulip plant with two American flags.
Bart Gressmen’s grave, April 8, 2025. Courtesy of Heidi Stone.
Several students stand around Gressmen’s grave marker. His son is an older man and is kneeling in front of the students and behind his father’s marker.
Syracuse Arts Academy students with Tracy Gressmen at Bart Gressmen’s grave, April 8, 2025. Courtesy of Heidi Stone.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Bart Gressmen. Pennsylvania, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1798–1962. Digital images. https://ancestry.com.

Barton Gressmen. Official Military Personnel File. Department of the Air Force, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Barton J. Gressmen.” Daily Spectrum [Saint George, UT], April 19, 2017. Newspapers.com (292508423).

Barton J. Gressmen. United States, Public Records, 1970–2009. https://familysearch.org.

“Dairy Industry Receipts Top Other Utah Farm Products.” Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake City, UT], November 26, 1953. Newspapers.com (599132640). 

Gressmen, Tracy. Email interview with the author. February 12, 2025.

“Marriages.” Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake City, UT], September 17, 1955. Newspapers.com (597948174).

“Military Prom.” Deseret News [Salt Lake City, UT], February 14, 1950. Newspapers.com (595051541).

“30,000 in Damages Estimated for Fire.” Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake City, UT], August 24, 1980. Newspapers.com (612915554).

“Utah Farm Cash Income Second High in History.” San Juan Record [Monticello, UT], October 1, 1953. Newspapers.com (545295574). 

Utah. Goshen County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com.

Utah. Salt Lake County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com.

“We Wish to Congratulate Huntsman Awards.” Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake City, UT], May 25, 1997. Utah Newspaper Archives.

Secondary Sources

“Barton J. ‘Bart’ Gressmen.” Find a Grave. Updated April 18, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178548330/barton-j-gressmen. 

“Barton J Gressmen.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/BARTONJGRESSMEN/91a15b. 

Dewey, Devon. “The Story Behind the Old Mill Near Goshen.” KSL Broadcasting. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.ksl.com/article/46287969/the-story-behind-the-old-mining-mill-near-goshen.

“Goshen, Utah.” Niche. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/goshen-utah-ut/.

“The Main Street Divide: Remembering Main Street Salt Lake City of Christmas Past.” Utah Stories. Accessed April 30, 2025. https://utahstories.com/2021/12/the-main-street-divide-remembering-main-street-salt-lake-city-of-christmas-past/. 

“Modification of B-29s for War in Korea.” Hill Air Force Base. Updated February 20, 2020. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2089698/modification-of-b-29s-for-war-in-korea/.

Toone, Trent. “Latter-day Saints Soldiers Who Fought in Korean War Compared to Book of Mormon Story in New Short Film.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saint-soldiers-korean-war-new-short-film-miracle-at-gapyeong/.

Urrutia, Benjamin. “Korean War and Utah.” Utah History Encyclopedia. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/k/KOREAN_WAR.shtml.

What Life Was Like in the 1940s. History of Life. April 16, 2023. YouTube [5:48]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga8zjRcCdaI.

Wilson, P. D., McNulty, J., and Hampshire, D. A History of Juab County. Utah State Historical Society, 1999. http://www.riversimulator.org/Resources/History/UtahCounties/HistoryOfJuabCounty1996Wilson.pdf.


This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.