World War II Honoree

Claude Barnett Motley, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Blaney, South Carolina

Honored By

Nelson McLeod

Relationship

Son-in-Law

ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMY ON 8 AUGUST 1944. TRAINED AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA IN A HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY FROM 18 AUGUST 1944 UNTIL 26 SEPTEMBER 1944. EMBARKED FROM FORT MEADE, MARYLAND. OVERSEAS SERVICE IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER FROM 8 JANUARY 1945 UNTIL 12 JUNE 1945. ASSIGNED TO COMPANY M, 119TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 30TH INFANTRY 'OLD HICKORY' DIVISION. MACHINE GUN SQUAD LEADER. CROSSED THE ELBE RIVER NEAR GRUNEWALDE, GERMANY ON 13 APRIL 1945. CAPTURED IN GERMAN COUNTER ATTACK ON 14 APRIL. PRISONER OF WAR IN STALAG 3A FOR TWENTY-TWO DAYS, ESCAPED. REACHED AMERICAN FORCES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF RUSSIAN TROOP DRIVING A STEAM POWERED TRUCK. AWARDED GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH SERVICE IN THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE, AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A CORPORAL FROM COMPANY M, 119TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 30TH INFANTRY DIVISION AT FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON ON 13 FEBRUARY 1946.