World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Clair W. Wells
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Yates County, New York
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY MARCH 4, 1943 AT ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE U.S. ARMY, FOX COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 331ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, 83RD INFANTRY ‘THUNDERBOLT’ DIVISION, ATTACHED TO THE VIII CORPS, U.S. 1ST ARMY. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE VAST ARMADA THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, OPERATION OVERLORD. WHILE EMBARKING FROM HIS LCI ‘LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY’, HE WENT ASHORE ON THE OMAHA, NORMANDY BEACHHEAD, JUNE 18, 1944 AND ENTERED COMBAT JUNE 25, 1944. KILLED IN ACTION MONDAY, JULY 10, 1944 IN THE VICINITY OF CARENTAN, FRANCE. HE IS BURIED IN THE BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY, ST. JAMES ‘MANCHE’, FRANCE. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL.