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T/Sgt Clarence L. Weissgerber worked as a farm hand.

He joined the Regular army in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 14 September 1940.

On 22 September 1945, a comrade, S/Sgt John Gauer, wrote the following letter to his brother and his brother's wife, explaining what happened on that tragic day:

"Dear Mr. & Mrs. Weissgerber,
I just received your letter in regards to your brother Clarence and will do my best to tell you what I know or knew about him. I first became acquainted with Clarence last summer while we were fighting in Normandy and we became “buddies” which is to say that we were the best of friends. We were very close all through France, Belgium and into Germany. We slept together in the same foxholes, shared our rations, talked of home together and went through some pretty tough going together, so you see, we were very close.
When he was killed, I lost my best buddy and the company lost a damned good man.
He talked of home quite a bit and mentioned you folks very often. He talked of Sheboygan Falls a lot and of the farm he worked on. He also mentioned several times that he wished he could write more often. Believe me, Mr. & Mrs. Weissgerber, even though he didn’t write much, he thought of you folks and home constantly. And as I’ve already mentioned, he spoke of you folks quite often.
Last summer in Normandy, he burned his hands when some gasoline caught fire and he spent a short time in the hospital. When he came back up front with the company (Co B) he was made sgt (assistant squad leader) that was last August (1944). After we made a push across the Meuse River in Belguim, he was promoted to S/Sgt (Squad Leader). We each had a squad in the same platoon and our squads always fought side by side. After we’d fought through the sector of Sigfried Line in Germany, we were (9th Div) sent to the Hurtgen Forest.
I guess you folks have heard or read about that particular campaign. It was the toughest of all and was named “Bloody Hurtgen Forest”. In this company, Clarence did a wonderful job with his squad. He was a darned good leader and he had plenty of guts and his men never hesitated to follow him.
I was wounded and taken back to a hospital in France. Before I left, I talked with Clarence and I told him I hated to leave him as we’d been together so long but he said he’d be OK and I’ll be back soon. He was promoted to Tech Sgt while I was in the hospital. He then had command of a platoon. On 12 December, the company was making an attack in a town in Germany. I believe it was Etsch. Clarence was wounded during the attack but refused to go back for medical aid. He kept leading his platoon til he could go no further. He was then ordered back for medical aid and while on his way back to the aid station, was caught in a terrific artillery barrage. They couldn’t identify his body for some time until they found some letters or some other means of identification on his person. That’s the reason he was reported “missing” for so long. They have to be certain before they report a man killed in action.
I missed Clarence very much and the company didn’t seem the same without him. As I said before, he was a damned good man and the company lost a good leader.

I know you folks wanted to know the truth although it’s very unpleasant. I hope that reading how it happened doesn’t make you folks feel too badly. If it does, I’m sorry. I had to write it but I knew you folks wanted to know as much as possible and how it all happened.
I want you folks to know that I thought the world of Clarence as we were like brothers during the tough times and during “breaks.” It hurt me deeply when it happened. I’ll always remember him as he was. Happy go lucky, joking and always ready to laugh.
I’ll be only too glad to answer any questions possible which you folks may have."