Clement W. “Clem” Hurda, son of Mrs. Mary Hurda was born on Feb. 10, 1922, in the town of Wauzeka, Wis., and died in Jorhat, India, Aug. 17, 1944. Having received his education a the Wauzeka Ridge school he spent his entire young life at his home on the farm up to the time he went to serve his country.

In the year of Oct. 22, 1942, he left for Camp Grant, Ill., from where he went to Keesler Field, Mississippi. He then returned to Scott Field, Ill., where he took up a course of Radio Operator and Mechanic, which he completed in six months. On April 26, 1943, he left for Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he took up a gunnery course of five weeks. Then he was sent to Boca Raton, Florida, where he spent 5 days and then was sent overseas and arrived in India on June 25, 1943.

His duty there was a radio operator and mechanic in large transport planes which took him on dangerous trips across the Hump from India to China. He was at this work up to the time of his fatal accident which happened in a plane crash near Jorhat, India, August 17, 1944.

Clement is now buried in the Wauzeka Cemetery, Wauzeka, Crawford County, Wisconsin, USA. He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com