Hoyer Tribute to Master Sergeant Clarence O. Lyall
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) honored the memory of Master Sergeant Clarence O. Lyall of Maryland, who passed away on March 19, with the following Congressional Record statement:
"Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a man who put his life in harm's way for our country as a member of the iconic 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company during World War II. MSG Clarence Odell Lyall, a longtime resident of Leonardtown, Maryland, passed away on March 19.
"The 101st Airborne Division was created in 1942 to put American boots on the ground in some of the most treacherous enemy-held territory – in possibly the most dangerous way possible. Paratrooper tactics were still very new, and the risks of jumping out of an aircraft, let alone into a warzone, were enough to give even some of our bravest soldiers pause. But for the men who were formed into the Division's E Company, known as ‘Easy Company,' landing safely on the ground was only the first obstacle.
"On June 6, 1944, Clarence – ‘Clancy,' to those of us who were fortunate to know him – jumped with Easy Company a few miles from Utah Beach in the opening hours of Operation Overlord, and he landed in a tree. He was so laden with heavy equipment that another soldier had to cut him down to safety. After the Normandy beachhead was secured, Clancy fought in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany in Operations Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. The exploits of Easy Company were highlighted in the book Band of Brothers and the television miniseries of the same name.
"Clancy's service to our country continued long after the Second World War came to a close. After the war, Clancy was honorably discharged. But he re-enlisted and went on to a military career that took him from occupation duty in West Germany to service in the Korean War and even a stint as an observer at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam in 1954, escaping the besieged town just two weeks before the fall of its French garrison. Over the course of his career, Clancy made an astounding four combat jumps, earned twenty-five decorations and citations, and retired as a Master Sergeant.
"Since leaving the Army, Clancy continued to serve his country and community as a VFW Commander, President of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, and President of the American Legion Vice Commander Lions Club. He served on the Southern Maryland Veterans Advisory Board and was a member of the Order of the Purple Heart in support of our wounded veterans.
"I was proud to represent Clancy in Congress for so many years, and I continue to be in awe of what he and others in Easy Company and across the Armed Forces achieved during World War II. Their sacrifices, their courage, their bonds of brotherhood through unspeakable difficulty have ensured the lasting triumph of democracy.
"Clancy Lyall was my dear friend, and I join in thanking Clancy for his service to this nation and to our community in Southern Maryland, and I offer my condolences to his wife, Liz, their five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild."