SSG. Clinton McKinney is part of the greatest generation. He fought in World War II and he was there for the Battle of the Bulge.
The U.S. Army lost 19,000 soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge, McKinney was there with Company M of the 103rd Infantry Division. This counter-offensive was where Hitler and the Nazis made their final stand in the winter of 1944.
"The real ones didn’t come back, the real heroes," said Clinton McKinney, who was one of 41 soldiers in Company M who fought at Malmedy. "I lost 39 men and it was hard to get over that, we were cut off, it was 16 below zero and there was no place to get inside."
McKinney was a prisoner of war after being captured by the Germans. McKinney escaped twice only to be caught and tortured, but he never gave up.
"The third time he got away with an Australian and one other guy from his platoon," said Clinton's grandson Lane McKinney. "It was just the three of them that were left out of their group."
SSG. McKinney earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and multiple Purple Hearts for his heroic service in Europe. This past Sunday he received more accolades during his 100th birthday celebration, including a message from Nampa's mayor.
"I, Debbie Kling, the mayor of the city of Nampa, Idaho find it fitting to proclaim and recognize January 21st, 2024, as SSG Clinton Harry McKinney Day," read Clinton's great-grandson Jeff. "Furthermore I urge all citizens to recognize and acknowledge the honorable military service of our World War II veterans."
Clinton would return home to his wife Louise after the war. They would have children and their children would have kids as Clinton started a pair of fire fighting departments in Washington state.
"I’m getting a little choked up, but yeah he’s a special guy," said Lane McKinney. "He’s taught us how to behave, how to treat our wives, and how to treat our children."
So his family threw him a birthday party at the Warhawk Air Museum where Clinton even got to see his old first sergeant and blow out the candles on his cake.
"It's kind of amazing," said Clinton. "It was super, really super."
Unfortunately, we are running out of time as World War II veterans get up their in age. If you ever have a chance to sit down and talk with one of these heroes, do it. They are called the greatest generation for a reason and what they did at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and in the Pacific changed the world.
