Memorial

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1st Lt Wendell L. Clemenson graduated from Western High School in Washington, D.C. His greatest desire on graduation from Western was to enter West Point, and he immediately set about achieving this goal. Wendell Clemenson was at the US Military Academy in 1943, number 13180. He was a graduate of West Point, and had attended Garfield High School.

After recovering from a wound, he just had returned to his unit on 25 October 1944. While on patrol a small group from B Troop met and fired on a 3-man enemy patrol. Although wounded, the Germans escaped to their own lines. Lt Clemenson and one trooper moved forward to find the route of escape. Although they knew that they were being observed by the enemy, the two men worked their way ahead over 500 yards and out of range of supporting small arms fire. Over an hour later the patrol saw Lt Clemenson and his accompanying trooper coming back toward the friendly lines with four enemy prisoners. While still some 400 yards away, the six encountered an enemy patrol which fired on them and fatally wounded him. For his courage, coolness, and devotion to duty, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously.