SGT Clarence J. Blastic
Today we honor and remember SGT Clarence J. Blastic of the 101st Airborne Division
Sergeant (SGT) Clarence Joseph Blastic (Blaszczyk) of Able Company, 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion (AEB), was born in Whiting, North Township, Lake County, Indiana, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Szymanski) Blaszczyk on February 21, 1913. Clarence was their firstborn. He had three sisters, Irene D., Florence, and Lilian M. Blastic.
Clarence Blastic signed up for the draft in his hometown, Whiting, on October 16, 1940. At the time, he was employed at the Standard Oil Company in Whiting. Whiting’s proximity to Chicago, along with large parcels of cheap, “unusable” land and a growing number of railroad lines that passed through made it an ideal location for John D. Rockefeller’s “world’s greatest refinery.”
Clarence enlisted in the U.S. Army at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana, on March 21, 1942. He volunteered to become a paratrooper and became part of the 326th AEB.
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, CPL Blastic was on the Susan B. Anthony when the ship struck a mine in The Channel. All engineer and personnel equipment was lost, but all the men were successfully transferred to an escort vessel and landed on Utah Beach at 1430 hours.
CPL Blastic survived the combat actions in Normandy, the Netherlands, and Bastogne, Belgium. On February 5, 1945, he was promoted to Sergeant. He was transferred from Baker Company to Able Company, 326th AEB, on March 1, 1945.
While the 101st Airborne Division was operating at the Rhine River in Germany, in an area that was named the Ruhr Pocket, SGT Clarence Blastic was killed in action. According to his Fields of Honor page, he died while building a bridge.
Another Screaming Eagle had soared to the ultimate height. 🦅
SGT Clarence Blastic died at the age of 22. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart Medal with Oakleaf Cluster. After his initial burial in the temporary military cemetery at Margraten in the Netherlands, at Block GG, Row 3, Grave 63, he was reburied at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, at Plot E, Row 18, Grave 13. May he rest in peace.
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Clarence.
Lest we forget. 🇺🇸
The sources used for this article are known to the author and available on request.
Clarence,you survived several fear battles on the European continent!
As a adoptant I take care of two boys on the American Cemetery at Margraten,soon I'll be there and I promise to pay my respect at your grave site!
Happy Heavenly Birthday trooper,your not forgotten 🫡🇺🇸🇳🇱🫡