DECATUR -- Clifford Barnes was recognized and honored Dec. 5, 2015, at Decatur's VFW Post 9834. Clifford was one of the founding veterans of this post. It is not very often we get the chance to honor such a man as this. Often overlooked in today's society, it was extremely satisfying to be a part of this special occasion.
Clifford Barnes was born in Decatur on Jan. 10, 1924, on a farm on Spavinaw Creek. Clifford was drafted in June of 1944 and was given his basic training at Camp Fannin in Tyler, Texas. He was trained on a M1918 Browning automatic rifle (BAR), a .30 caliber light machine gun (aka the weapon of choice for a squad support team).
He was on the troop train Rep. Depot in Los Angeles, Calif., and left Seattle, Wash., by ship en route to the South Pacific. He joined up with L Company 32nd Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He landed with the first wave on the beach in Okinawa, April 1, 1945, as member of a BAR machine gun team. He was wounded the next day by a sniper. He returned to action and later was wounded again by a grenade on June 26, while the Island of Okinawa was being secured. Clifford lost an eye from shrapnel from the grenade.
Clifford was sent back stateside to San Antonio, Texas. There he was treated, given therapy and given time to heal up. Clifford was awarded two Purple Hearts, for his sacrifice, bravery and life-changing wounds suffered during the Okinawa invasion.
He was discharged in the spring of 1946, and it was then he returned to his farm on Spavinaw Creek. It was there, where he and his wife Ruth spent the next 70 years working the farm and raising three children.
Clifford and a group of other veterans organized and formed the VFW Post 9834, where current members of the post recently recognized him and his importance to the VFW as well as his community. Decatur feels very blessed that we have him and we thank him for all he has done for Decatur and for America and its freedoms, for which we all owe men such as Clifford Barnes.
Speaking with his son, Reuben Barnes, he told me, "While I was growing up, he was always my hero and still is. But, at this time, I think he should be everybody's hero."
General News on 02/24/2016