PVT Clifford Gail Pillers

PVT Clifford Gail Pillers was born 17 Jun 1923 in Callao, Missouri. He was the 2nd of the 3 children born to Elbert Lee and Ruth A. (Morris) Pillers. His family farmed in Macon County in Missouri. Clifford graduated from high school in 1940 and continued farming.

Clifford was drafted in November 1943. Inducted at Fort Leavenworth, PVT Pillers had his basic military training at Camp Fannin, Texas. In May 1944 he had a 10-day furlough before he shipped out for England. Clifford was in England in July 1944. From there he was sent to the replacement depot and on 27 Jul 1944 was transferred to Headquarters 2nd Battalion 116th Infantry to served as a field lineman. PVT Pillers was wounded near Vires on 7 Aug 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He was transferred from the replacement depot back to the unit on 6 Sep 1944. Initially reported as missing in action, it was later confirmed that PVT Pillers had been killed in action near Aachen, Germany on 16 Oct 1944.

PVT Pillers was initially buried in the Henri-Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium but was repatriated in 1947 aboard the USAT Joseph V. Connolly and re-interred in Locust Grove Cemetery in Callao, Missouri.