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| Sgt. Clark Zills served in the 3rd Armored Division during the Battle of the Bulge https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46484683/clark-william-zills https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/tanks/m36-jackson/3rd-armored-division-houffalize-battle-of-the-bulge-jan45/ |
Clark Willis Zills never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 22, 1918 in Alabama. His parents Rolin and Lula were also both born in Alabama. His father worked as a rock quarry laborer and later as a farmer's helper. By 1940 he was working for the government as a carpenter. Clark had an older brother, two younger brothers, and two younger sisters. By 1940 Clark had complete a grammar school level of education and was working as a farm hand.
He enlisted in the army on December 30, 1940. He became a sergeant in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. The 3rd Armored, nicknamed "Spearhead", arrived in Normandy in late June 1944. It played an active role in Operation Cobra and reached the Seine River in late August. In September in was engaged in fighting in the Hurtgen Forest and in December and January it fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
When the Germans surprised the Americans in the Ardennes, the 3rd Armored was sent south to check the enemy's advance. They were on defense for a couple of weeks facing SS Panzer units but by January 3, 1945 orders were given to strike south to cut off as many retreating German units as possible. During the first day of the attack Sgt. Zills had to deal with roadblocks and minefields as his unit captured the village of Floret. Sgt. Zills was killed in action that day.
His brother Franklin, seven years his junior, enlisted in the army in 1943 and served in a support ground crew position in the 500th Bombardment Group which flew B-29 bombing missions over Japan from a base in Saipan. His Application for Headstone says he was killed in action on October 10, 1945, more than a month after the war ended. The best explanation is that he was killed in some sort of accident or he could have been lost when the B-29s were flying home. The B-29 crashed at a higher rate than would be acceptable in peace time.
The brothers' graves are at Knights of Pythias Cemetery in Russellville, Alabama.
Last year on this date I profiled AAF Cadet Corps airman Billy George. You can read about Billy here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
Thanks Mr. Zills and also your brother for your sacrifice.
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