Duty, Imprisonment, Choice
by Chloe Allison
Clyde William Scarborough
January 5, 1918-May 28, 2005
When the world is at war the courageous and the brave come together to fight for the freedom of the oppressed. The 1940s was a time when countries like the United States called upon young men and women to help end the destruction happening all over the world. Clyde William Scarbrough was a young man who served his country out of obligation and later by choice. The United States Military gave Clyde a life that he would not have had otherwise lived. The story of Chief Master Sergeant Scarbrough shows how dedication to one’s country and self can lead to individual success and change in the world.
Clyde Scarbrough was born on January 5, 1918 to Norris and Pearl Scarbrough in Douglas, Alabama.[1] Clyde was brought up with four older siblings: Curtis, Grady, Charlie and Ione.[2] As of 1920, the family was living in Friendship, Alabama. Clyde’s father Norris worked as a sheriff’s deputy in Alabama and was also a veteran of the First World War.[3] Norris died on May 10, 1928 when Clyde was only ten years old.[4] A year after the passing of Norris, Clyde’s mother Pearl married Addison Boggs Dyer in Marshall County, Alabama.[5] Clyde now had a step-father, a step-brother Howard, and a step-sister Silvia.[6] Clyde attended at least three years of high school and worked as a tradesman.[7] Clyde Scarbrough married Mary Jewell Marr on January 8, 1941,, not long after Mary turned eighteen.[8] Clyde and Mary lived together in a home in Anniston, Alabama in 1942, but the newlyweds did not have much time together as Clyde was drafted to serve in World War Two in 1942.[9]
Clyde Scarbrough became Private First Class Scarbrough in February of 1942 when he enlisted in the Army and served in the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (PIB) in the late spring of 1942.[10] Private First Class Scarbrough quickly moved through the ranks and was confirmed to have achieved the rank of Corporal Scarbrough of the 509th PIB on November 8, 1942.[11] Clyde was a part of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North Africa, and sat in seat four of plane one.[12] Corporal Scarbrough was successful in his operation and jumped once again just a week later on November 15 of the same year.[13] The second confirmed mission for Clyde was a jump at Youks Les Baines.[14] Clyde and the rest of the 509th PIB did not see much airtime between November 1942 and September 1943 as they were engaged in battle with the German Africa Korps.[15] The 509th eventually captured the pass, but were told to withdraw and Germans took control once again.[16] The 509th PIB spent some time in North Africa, taking a well-earned rest before heading to Sicily on September 5, 1943. [17] Corporal Scarbrough was recorded jumping on September 14, 1943; the next day Clyde was confirmed as a prisoner of war.[18]
The September 14 jump had Corporal Scarbrough landing in Avellino, Italy.[19] Clyde was captured during this mission and taken to a German camp. Clyde was kept at Stalag XVII B Braunau Gneikendorf—a prisoner camp located near Krems, Austria.[20] Corporal Scarbrough was a prisoner of war from September 15, 1943 until July 9, 1945.[21] Although the war in Europe ended in May 1945, it took months for all of the prisoners of war to either be liberated or for them to find their way back to territory occupied by the Allies.
Clyde was one of 93, 941 American servicemen who were taken prisoner in the European theater during World War Two.[22] The Germans had a system of naming their camps that designated which type of prisoners were being held there. Corporal Scarbrough was held at Stalag XVII B, a camp that held non-officers.[23] Stalag XVII B was the largest German prisoner camp in Austria and the second largest of the entire war.[24] The prisoners held in the same camp as Clyde Scarbrough were treated very poorly, the camp was even considered one of the worst among the prisoner of war camps. Corporal Scarbrough endured a lot during his time as a prisoner of war.
Footnotes ↓
[1] “Scarbrough Family Tree.” Ancestry.com, entry for Clyde W Scarbrough.
[2] “1920 United States Federal Census.” ancestry.com, entry for Clyde Scarbrough, Friendship, Marshall County, Alabama, pg. 13A.
[3] “Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974.” ancestry.com, entry for Norris R Scorbrough, Boaz, Marshall County, Alabama.
[4] “Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974.” ancestry.com, entry for Norris R Scorbrough, Boaz, Marshall County, Alabama.
[5] “Alabama, County Marriage Records, 1805-1967.” ancestry.com, entry for Pearl Scarbrough, Marshall County, Alabama.
[6] “1930 United States Federal Census.” ancestry.com, entry for Clyde Scarbrough, Friendship, Marshall County, Alabama.
[7] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[8] “Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950.” familysearch.org, entry for Clyde Scarbrough, Etowah, Alabama.
[9] “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.” ancestry.com, entry for Clyde Scarbrough, Anniston, Alabama.
[10] Matt Anderson, email message to the author, July 23, 2018. DU VLP.
[11] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[12] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[13] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[14] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[15] Matt Anderson, email message to Chloe Allison, July 23, 2018. DU VLP.
[16] Matt Anderson, email message to Chloe Allison, July 23, 2018. DU VLP.
[17] Matt Anderson, email message to Chloe Allison, July 23, 2018. DU VLP.
[18] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.; “Alabama, WWII Military Dead and Wounded, 1944-1946.” ancestry.com, entry for Clyde W Scarbrough, Marshall County, Alabama; “World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946.” ancestry.com, entry for Clyde W Scarbrough, Alabama; Geronimo Foundation, AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE 509TH PIB. 2006. http://509thgeronimo.org/foundation/?p=41.
[19] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[20] Clyde W. Scarbrough. 2006. http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierscarbroughcw/soldierscarbroughcw.html.
[21] Matt Anderson, email message to Chloe Allison, July 23, 2018. DU VLP.
[22] "Stalag IIB." Guests of the Third Reich. https://guestsofthethirdreich.org/home/.
[23] "Stalag XVII B." Threats. http://www.stalag17b.com/history.html.
[24] "Stalag XVII B." Threats. http://www.stalag17b.com/history.html.
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