Private First Class Clifford A. Judah

Clifford A. Judah was born in 1925 to father Elijah D. Judah and mother Margie Judah. His father was a self-employed farmer and his mother was a berry packer for the family business. Both Elijah and Margie were born in Alabama, while Clifford was born in rural Natchitoches Louisiana and lived there until his family moved to Hillsborough, Florida around 1935. Clifford completed one year of high school education, afterwards he worked as a sales clerk. ^[1]

            Clifford enlisted in the army on November 2, 1943 at Camp Blanding in Florida. The terms of his enlistment were through the duration of the war or other emergency as well as a six-month extension at the discretion of the president or other laws. Clifford became a Private First Class in the 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division.^[2] The army declared PFC Judah missing in action on January 15, 1945. PFC Judah died during the Battle of Hatten-Rittershoffen in Alsace, France which was part of the Battle of the Bulge.^[3] Historians regard the Battle of The Bulge as one of the last battles of the war as well the deadliest. On December 16, 1944, German forces ambushed the American army in the Ardennes forest when they sought to capture the port of Antwerp. This battle would end in 67,000 American soldier casualties.^[4] PFC Judah’s unit receive distinguished Unit Citation for heroic participation in the battle fighting against the German 21st Panzer Division.^[5] The army awarded PFC Judah the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. The American Battle Monuments Commission memorialized PFC Judah under tablets of the missing in the Epinal American Cemetery.