T/5 Melford Rod Cluckey 39463390 US Army. He was born on October 10, 1922, in Portal, North Dakota. He was the son of Fred Cluckey and Mae C. Waid. He entered the US Army on March 12, 1943, in Spokane Washington, at the age of 20. He served as a tank driver in 3rd Platoon Company C, 753rd Tank Battalion during World War Two. It is unknown when he joined the 753rd but the 753rd “during its two-plus years in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operations, the battalion participated in six campaigns across Italy, France, and Germany, including three major combat landings from the sea. Over the course of its combat experience, the battalion, or subordinate elements thereof, supported two U.S. armies, six U.S. corps, two Allied corps, a remarkable sixteen different divisions (to include 5 Allied), and two U.S. armored groups.” From April 2 – 12 1945 C Company was supporting the 63rd Infantry Division on the advance between the Jagst and Kocher Rivers. On April 6, 1945 the 253rd Infantry took the town of Kreßbach Germany, during this action First Lieutenant James E. Robinson, Jr.,  earned the Medal of Honor. That night the 253rd Infantry and the C Company, 753rd tank Bn was forced out of the town.

On the cold rainy afternoon of April  7, 1945, 3rd Platoon Company C, 753rd Tank battalion, was supporting first platoon aka “Forty Thieves”, C Company, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. The enemy panzerfaust teams, supported by automatic weapons, destroyed one assault gun, and one tank. T/5 Melford Rod Cluckey tank was on the far side of the field and closest to Kreßbach Germany was fired upon and disabled by a panzerfaust. T/5 Melford Rod Cluckey was unaware of the fire fight he dismounted to inspect the damage, and was forced to seek cover from intense rifle fire. Observing no one else leavening the tank, T5 Clucky, after several attempts succeeded in regaining his position and drove the vehicle to a sheltering building. Finding one man dead, and two wounded, he again dismounted and crossed through continuous fire seeking medical aid for the crew members. He then removing his wounded crewman to an aid station. From the two vehicle that were destroyed three of the crew men were killed Sgt. Loyd James Lowman 34114593, CPL Archie G. Brunt 37101892, PFC Joseph J. Beras 32729903, and three were wounded in the engagement.

T/5 Melford Rod Cluckey was discharged on September 15, 1945. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medals  (BSM), the Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations, the European Theater of Operations Medal and the World War Two Victory Medal. He married Agnes Jeanne McNaughton on January 11, 1975, in Vancouver, Washington. He died on May 26, 1985, in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 62, and was buried at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland Oregon.

On April 7, 1945 in the vicinity of Kressbach, Germany while supporting C Company 253rd Infantry in an infantry attack, which was receiving heavy small arms and machine gun fire, T5 Clucky' s tank, of which he was the diver of, was struck by an enemy anti-tank rocket. Unaware of the fire fight he dismounted to inspect the damage, and was forced to seek cover from intense rifle fire. Observing no one else leavening  the tank, T5 Clucky, after several attempts succeeded in regaining his position and drove the. vehicle to a sheltering building. Finding one man dead, and two wounded, he again dismounted  and crossed through continuous fire seeking medical aid for the crew members. He then removing his wounded crewman to an aid station.

1- 63rd Division Records

2- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=39463390&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=7911327

3- the U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954

4- the Oregon, U.S., Death Index, 1898-2008

5- the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010