World War II Honoree

Claude Clayton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pryor, Oklahoma

Honored By

Mack W. Clayton

Relationship

Son

SERVED AS A 60 MILLIMETER MORTAR SQUAD LEADER, 4TH PLATOON, COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 405TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 102ND INFANTRY DIVISION IN GERMANY. DURING SIX MONTHS OF SUSTAINED COMBAT OPERATIONS, HIS REGIMENT CROSSED THE ROER AND RHINE RIVERS AND PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE ELBE RIVER. ON 21 APRIL 1945, IN WHAT WAS TO BE THEIR LAST DAY OF COMBAT, THE 405TH INFANTRY REGIMENT DESTROYED THE LAST VESTIGE OF GERMAN RESISTANCE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER. HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. THE 102ND INFANTRY DIVISION WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.