Corporal Lillian Clonts served in the Women’s Army Corps
Colonel Loy L. Julius, USAF, Retired, was born on a farm near
from June 1943 until October 1945. Today at age 92, her
Cherokee, Iowa in 1920. His parents were German-Scottish
memories of serving in World War II are as vivid as the
immigrants and he was the third of seven children. He probably
day they actually took place. As a corporal stationed in
thought at a young age that he may have been in line for a
Normandy, it was not unusual for her to see and hear German
fairly uneventful life on the farm. Instead, the farm was lost
bombs falling in the area near her base. As a member of
during the Great Depression of the 1930s, so the family moved
the Chemical Warfare Service, her duties included following
to Cherokee, where Loy’s father went to work for the WPA
the male troops and making sure they had everything they
(Works Progress Administration) building roads.
needed to effectively fight the enemy. This was a break for Loy, as he now had the opportunity to One of Lillian’s most vivid memories is from when her outfit
complete his high school and college educations. In December
was being flown from England to France. As they looked down
1942, at age 22 and one year after the bombing of Pearl
they could see the gigantic craters in the ground that were
Harbor, he received his induction letter into the military and
left after our bombs had been dropped. During that time, she
was sent to San Antonio, Texas for flight training with the
and her fellow troopers lived in everything from Quonset huts
Army Air Corps. He became a B-29 Bomber pilot and compiled
to tents. One night she was in a tent with five other girls
a distinguished war record that included 65 missions and the
when all of a sudden she came face to face with a live goat!
awarding of the Distinguished Flying Cross and twelve Oak
She says they never did figure out how the goat missed the
Leaf Clusters, among other awards. He considers himself
bombings.
lucky because he never had any injuries while at the same time he knew several guys who were badly injured or killed
When asked why she joined the Army at a time when women
in combat. As far as his toughest mission, Colonel Julius
weren’t required to serve, she said that she had gone to
said that it would have to be the Battle of the Bulge, which
the post office one day to buy stamps and while there,
took place in December and January of 1944-1945 on the
saw a sign on the wall with Uncle Sam pointing his finger
Western Front.
outward saying “I want you!” It inspired her so much that she decided to join, even though she had to wait until her 21st
It was during this era that he also met and married the
birthday. She did basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia,
love of his life, Anne, and started a family. He later went on
then shipped out to Europe.
to dental school and eventually became director of the Air Force dental hospitals in the Pacific. In the early 1970s, at
When asked what other inspiration she had besides Uncle
age 54, he decided that enough was enough, so he retired
Sam’s poster to join the military, Lillian replied that “she was
as a full bird colonel in 1974, thus completing his 32-year
ready for some adventure.”
military career.
When the war ended in 1945, Lillian was in Paris and she
Corporal Dean Kramer is a resident of New River who was
says the celebration was incredible. It was quite a time for
drafted into the Army and served a two-year hitch from
her as she was also celebrating her new marriage. The young
March 1951 until March 1953. One event that is etched in
lady had grown up a lot since the day she decided to join
his mind about his military service is that although the war
the military service after innocently going to the post office
started in Korea March 25, it actually was March 24 in the
to buy stamps.
United States, which coincidentally was his 21st birthday.
Lillian will be among 13 women veterans of World War II to
Dean was a resident of Philadelphia who had graduated
be honored at the Anthem Veterans Memorial at 9:30 a.m. on
from high school in 1946. Being drafted was his first contact
November 11, prior to the annual Veterans Day Ceremony.
with the military service and he remembers it as being an
Each veteran will receive a paver commemorating her service
unbelievable experience, especially at the induction center. He
to the nation.
wasn’t in combat but considered the center to be the most
november 2014
Im age s A Z.c om
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