thedrifter
12-07-05, 11:39 AM
Courage, sacrifice alive in Clinton
By Mitch Fryer
LEADER TIMES
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
In the 1940s, the small village of Clinton along the Allegheny River in South Buffalo Township sent approximately 25 of its young men off to war.
That was a large number for a community of only 150 people.
And when six of those soldiers didn't come home from World War II, the community was devastated.
"For a community that size to lose that many before they had a chance to live out their lives, it was tragic for everyone," said Richard Younkins, who now lives in Freeport.
Younkins, 4 years old and living in Clinton at the end of the war, lost his cousin Phil Jack.
Younkins thinks it's time once more that his cousin and the others were remembered and the sacrifice that one community made is again noted.
Pvt. Phil Jack, 20, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jack, of Clinton, was killed in France on Aug. 20, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Younkins said.
Younkins doesn't remember much about his cousin.
"Only that he used to take me to the candy store in Clinton with him," Younkins said. "I think it was pretty sad for me when he died."
Richard Younkins' uncle, Russell Younkins, 82, was one of the soldiers from Clinton who survived the war.
"It hit us hard," Russell Younkins said. "It was a close-knit community. We lost our entire ball team.
"It was part of living back then though. We weren't happy, but we accepted it."
The others from Clinton who died serving their country during World War II included Kenneth Bush, Steve Kamody, Russell Myers, Thomas Hudson and Paul Elash, said Richard Younkins.
Seaman Bush was killed while on maneuvers with the Navy; Sgt. Kamody was killed in a tank accident; Pvt. Russell died of wounds received in action with the Marines on Guam in the Pacific; and Pvt. Hudson, a former Freeport High School football star, died fighting on Okinawa in the Pacific.
Younkins did not have any information about the death of Elash.
Mitch Fryer can be reached at mfryer@tribweb.com or (724) 543-1303 ext 242.
Ellie
By Mitch Fryer
LEADER TIMES
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
In the 1940s, the small village of Clinton along the Allegheny River in South Buffalo Township sent approximately 25 of its young men off to war.
That was a large number for a community of only 150 people.
And when six of those soldiers didn't come home from World War II, the community was devastated.
"For a community that size to lose that many before they had a chance to live out their lives, it was tragic for everyone," said Richard Younkins, who now lives in Freeport.
Younkins, 4 years old and living in Clinton at the end of the war, lost his cousin Phil Jack.
Younkins thinks it's time once more that his cousin and the others were remembered and the sacrifice that one community made is again noted.
Pvt. Phil Jack, 20, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jack, of Clinton, was killed in France on Aug. 20, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Younkins said.
Younkins doesn't remember much about his cousin.
"Only that he used to take me to the candy store in Clinton with him," Younkins said. "I think it was pretty sad for me when he died."
Richard Younkins' uncle, Russell Younkins, 82, was one of the soldiers from Clinton who survived the war.
"It hit us hard," Russell Younkins said. "It was a close-knit community. We lost our entire ball team.
"It was part of living back then though. We weren't happy, but we accepted it."
The others from Clinton who died serving their country during World War II included Kenneth Bush, Steve Kamody, Russell Myers, Thomas Hudson and Paul Elash, said Richard Younkins.
Seaman Bush was killed while on maneuvers with the Navy; Sgt. Kamody was killed in a tank accident; Pvt. Russell died of wounds received in action with the Marines on Guam in the Pacific; and Pvt. Hudson, a former Freeport High School football star, died fighting on Okinawa in the Pacific.
Younkins did not have any information about the death of Elash.
Mitch Fryer can be reached at mfryer@tribweb.com or (724) 543-1303 ext 242.
Ellie