Memorial

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Clarence N. Bushman worked on a farm.

He enlisted on 19 March 1942.

A report, dated 8 May 1957, describes what happened. On 15 April 1945 T/5 Clarence H. Bushman and Pvt Herman Craig were reported AWOL from their unit at Stendal, Germany. According to J. C. Godwin, also a member of A Troop, the Troop had his HQ in a beer tavern in which there was plenty of hard liquor. A number of boys drank too much, including Craig and Bushman. These two men became unruly and began to shoot their fire arms in the tavern, including shooting clocks off of the wall, shooting out mirrors and destroying everything in the tavern. About 2200 hours, Craig and Bushlan came out of the tavern . Godwin talked with Craig and he told that he and Bushman were going into town. He tried to reason with him, knowing that it would be dangerous for him to go into town, since he had been drinking. He also told him that they were only a few miles from the front lines and that there might be German soldiers in the town who had gotten through the lines and besides one never knew what some of the German civilians might do. But all pleading was in vain. During the time Godwin had talked with Craig, Bushman had walked down a trail leading from the back of the tavern and shortly afterwards Craig joined him. Godwin watched them walk away and since then never saw either of them or heard anything concerning their deaths or whereabouts.

According to another witness, they were both unarmed when they left the area of the tavern.

For two days after their disappearance, the Troop made a house to house search for them, but couldn't find them.

The conclusion of the report is that, since Stendal had just been captured two days before, the civilian population could well be expected to be most unfriendly. There were no indications these men had the intention to desert. Therefore it was recommended their status be changed from AWOL to Finding of Death as of 16 Arpil 1946.

T/5 Bushman is remembered at Hobart Rose Cemetery in Hobart, Kiowa County, Oklahoma with a memorial marker.