Notes for: Claris Doak Talkington

Claris D. Talkington was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 4, 1943, assigned to the 1st Army, 106th Infantry Division. He was later transferred to the 28th Div, known as the "Bloody Bucket Division," Co A, 109th Regiment. He arrived in the European Theater on Aug 11 1944 and was wounded in action on Aug 22 1944. On Dec 16 1944, while on patrol on the Longsdorf Road in Luxembourg, the lead tank, in which Claris was riding on the left side, was hit by German bazooka fire. Twenty-five members of the patrol were able to escape, but the remainder were captured, killed or wounded. Claris was captured on Dec 18 1944. He and his fellow prisoners were marched to Bitburg, Germany, for interrogation, then to Wittlich. After several days, they were marched to Stalag XII-A at Limburg, Germany, on the east side of the Rhine River. There they remained until May 1945, when they were liberated by General Patton's Third Army. Claris weighed 255 pounds when captured, only 97 when liberated.

He received the following awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal. He later served in the American Legion as Commander of the West Union Cecil Robinson Post 25, and for two 2-year terms as Commander of the Third District.