Memorial

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Clarence D. Self was a chauffeurbefore he enlisted at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on 21 April 1944. He was sent overseas in December 1944.

On 10 January 1945, the 331st Infantry was driving toward the town of Langlire. Two assault squads made a dawn attack into the forest, south of the village. They had gone about 100 yards when they were caught in a ambush of heavy machine gun crossfire. Their position was raked continuously for several minutes. When the fire lifted, platoon sergeant Harry Shoemaker raised his head and looked around to find many of his men dead and most of the others wounded. He watched SS troopers emerge from the trees working their way down the slope from the ridge shooting the ambush survivors including the wounded soldiers where they lay. When the Germans thought they had killed everyone they searched the bodies and moved on, Sgt Shoemaker miraculously survived the ordeal to tell his story. It can be assumed that Pvt Self was one of the casualties.