World War II veteran receives a medal by mail

The Bronze Star arrived at Clovis Youngblood's home in a cardboard box.

By Jennifer L. Boen

Nearly 60 years after he earned it, Clovis "Howard" Youngblood has received an honor given to only the most deserving veterans. The Bronze Star Medal came in a brown cardboard box, sent to him via UPS.

No congratulatory letter. No ceremony. No fanfare. But to Youngblood, no problem.

"I was a little surprised it came this way. I thought maybe I'd receive an official letter or something," said the 87-year-old resident of Village Oaks assisted living center in Fort Wayne.

But then again that's the way Youngblood earned the medal -- and the way he has lived his life -- very unassuming.

In May 1941, just out of college and in his first years of teaching elementary school in Wolf Lake, north of Columbia City, Youngblood was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was 24 and a graduate of Indiana Central College, now the University of Indianapolis.

He completed basic training at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, then trained as part of the infantry division of the 4th Armored Division in New York and California.

Meanwhile, his college sweetheart, Mary Catherine Trimmer, had begun her teaching career in her hometown of Columbia City. Youngblood volunteered for officer candidates school, or OCS.

"I was one of the 90-day wonders," he said, referring to what back then was the hurried process of turning soldiers into officers.

He graduated from OCS in August 1944 as a 2nd lieutenant, just two months after D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. By then he and Mary Catherine were married. He was sent overseas, first to England, then France.

"I probably did most of the fighting in France. I remember when I was young and first in the Army, I thought that seeing the action in war was fun. Then after about one day, I realized it wasn't fun at all. It was very serious."

On the battlefield he was promoted to 1st lieutenant and awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. In January 1945, the unit crossed into Germany.

"We were supposed to attack this little town at night," where German soldiers were hiding. The battle went well Jan. 16, 1945.

"We got inside all the buildings. Things got quiet. I went outside to check up that everything was clear."

The 20 men under his leadership waited for him to say everything was OK. From an unseen corner enemy fire met Youngblood, shrapnel hitting nearly every part of his body: his back, abdomen, intestines and legs. He remembers medics hauling him off the battlefield.

"There were our medics taking care of U.S. soldiers, and German medics hauling off their soldiers."

Youngblood was first treated in a field hospital, then sent to one in England. He faced multiple surgeries. He had a compound fracture in one leg, and a colostomy was required due to massive intestine damage. Despite good care, his wounds wouldn't heal. Doctors were puzzled.

Eventually he was sent to what was then Mayo General Hospital in Galesburg, Ill., where he spent a year. Doctors there discovered he had developed diabetes, likely due to the trauma his body had endured.

"When I went into the service I didn't have diabetes," Youngblood said.

As the diabetes came under control, the wounds began to heal.

Youngblood received the Purple Heart, presented to him while he was hospitalized. He also received the Europe African and Middle East, or EAME, badge and the American Defense Ribbon. His squadron was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge.

After his discharge, he joined Mary Catherine in Columbia City, where the two taught school. Youngblood got his principal's license, and for 32 years was the principal at Columbia Township School, which has since been razed.

The couple, who have two daughters and two grandchildren, will celebrate 60 years of marriage in August.

Last November, Youngblood read in the Hoosier Legonnaire newspaper that individuals who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge during World War II had been authorized to receive the Bronze Star by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.

Youngblood wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, enclosing copies of his military record. The department responded saying he qualified. That was the last he heard from them until weeks later, when the cardboard box arrived with his Bronze Star.

Although Youngblood said he assumed such an honor might have been presented more ceremoniously, his inclination is not to draw attention to himself. It was the staff of Village Oaks who wanted Youngblood's service publicly recognized.

"He fought for this country, and this is such a distinguished honor," said April Franke, Village Oaks marketing director.

George Jarboe, Allen County Veteran's Affairs officer, said there are other Clovis Youngbloods out there. There are other veterans receiving the medal by mail as the military attempts to retroactively find deserving veterans. The Bronze Star Medal is given for "heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States..."

In November, U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar's office helped arrange the awarding of the Bronze Star retroactively to about 400 Hoosiers.

To Mary Catherine Youngblood, her husband's Bronze Star is better late than never.

"He was a very brave man," she said, "and still is, when you look at all he's been through."

Veterans may still qualify for award
Any World War II veteran who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge qualifies for the Bronze Star Medal. For more information, write to the National Personnel Records Center, Medal Section (NRPMA-M), 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63123-5100.

From: http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/8455867.htm

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