World War II Honoree

Clifton L. 'Buck' Earle

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pateros, Washington

Honored By

Lucile Earle & LTC CharlesT. Borg, USA-Ret.

Relationship

Wife & Friend

COMBAT ENGINEER WITH COMPANY A, 554TH HEAVY PONTOON BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION. JOINED ARMY IN 1943 AND RECEIVED BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP SWIFT, TEXAS. IN JULY 1944, JOINED ALLIED DRIVE ACROSS FRANCE BY CONSTRUCTING PONTOON BRIDGES ACROSS NUMEROUS RIVER SYSTEMS IN FRANCE, BELGIUM AND GERMANY. BRIDGES WERE BUILT UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS AT THE FRONT LINES AND WERE UNDER ENEMY FIRE MANY TIMES. IN DECEMBER 1944, WAS INVOLVED IN BATTLE OF THE BULGE AT EUPEN FOREST IN BELGIUM. THIS ACTION WAS FOLLOWED BY BREAKTHROUGH AT HEAVILY DEFENDED GERMAN CITY OF AACHEN IN JANUARY 1945, THEN CROSSING OF ROER RIVER IN MARCH 1945. WOUNDED BY GERMAN ARTILLERY, APRIL 1945 DURING WESER RIVER CROSSING. DISCHARGED IN LATE 1945 HAVING BEEN AWARDED PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BATTLE STARS AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.