World War II Honoree

Clayton 'Clay' L. Purcell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Millersburg, Ohio

Honored By

Jessie W. Purcell, Keith & Sharon Rasmussen

Relationship

Wife & Friends

RANK: TECHNICIAN 5TH GRADE. ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY APRIL 30, 1944 AND COMPLETED HEAVY WEAPONS INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING AT FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO 263RD INFANTRY REGIMENT, 66TH INFANTRY ‘BLACK PANTHER’ DIVISION AT FORT RUCKER, ALABAMA. THE THREE REGIMENTS OF THE 66TH DIVISION ARRIVED IN ENGLAND, NOVEMBER 26, 1944. ON DECEMBER 24, 1944 ELEMENTS OF THE 263RD REGIMENT AFTER CROSSING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL ARRIVED AT CHERBOURG, FRANCE. HE AND HIS UNIT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 222ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, 42ND INFANTRY ‘RAINBOW’ DIVISION, VI CORPS, U.S. 7TH ARMY. CAMPAIGNS: NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES-ALSACE, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE. SERVED WITH THE OCCUPATION FORCES IN AUSTRIA AFTER ALL HOSTILITIES HAD CEASED WITH THE GERMAN ARMY FORCES. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AGAINST THE ENEMY ON 24 AND 25 JANUARY 1945 IN THE VICINITY OF SCHWEIGHAUSEN AND NEUBORG, FRANCE. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, ARMY MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION, BRONZE STAR MEDAL (AWARDED FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN GROUND COMBAT AGAINST THE ARMED ENEMY), PURPLE HEART MEDAL, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMAN CLASP. ARMED FORCES RESERVE RIBBON, ARMY SERVICE RIBBON, OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON, RIFLE MARKSMAN BADGE WITH THE RIFLE, MACHINE GUNNER, HAND GRENADE, BAZOOKA AND PISTOL BARS, THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND THE HONORABLE LAPEL BUTTON. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED JUNE 18, 1946 AT CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA.