1SG Alfred Baker McClure Jr.

courtesy of Jay Kelly

1SG Alfred Baker McClure Jr. was born 7 Sep1913 in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the 2nd of 3 children born to Alfred Baker and Laura Hayes (Dean) McClure. Alfred senior worked as a carpenter.  Alfred junior managed to complete 4-years of high school.

Alfred was apparently working as a driver in Richmond, Virgina when he was drafted in May 1941. Assigned to the 116th Infantry at Camp Meade, Maryland, he must have demonstrated exceptional competence to be promoted to 1SG of C Company 116th Infantry before 6 Jun 1944. After training with the unit for the amphibious assault as part of the planned invasion of occupied Europe 1SG McClure participated in that effort.When there was some question about C Company's landing, 1st Sgt. Alfred B. McClure said that the first, second, and third assault sections sections arrived almost if not entirely intact. Alfred was wounded on 29 Jun 1944 and evacuated to hospital. He returned to C Company on 12 Aug 1944 serving as 1SG with that unit until 11 Sep 1944 when he was transferred to I Company 116th Infantry. He was transferred again on 21 Oct 1944, this time to B Company 116th Infantry. 1SG McClure was killed in action on 1 Mar 1944.

1SG McClure was repatriate in 1948 and re-interred in Fairfax City Cemetery in Fairfax, Virginia.