Easley, Claudius Miller “Speck”

Easley, Claudius Miller “Speck”, born on 11-07-1891 in  Thorp Spring, Texas, was a member of the first Basic Class of the newly established Infantry School, in 1919 and over the years, also was graduated from the Advanced Course of the Infantry School, the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. He served with the 37^th U.S. Infantry Regiment on the Mexican border. Soon after the United States’ entry into World War II, General Easley took command of the 325^thInfantry Regiment of the 82^nd Infantry Division. He left that unit to become the Assistant Division Commander of the 96^th Infantry Division at the time of its activation in August, 1942, at Camp Adair, Oregon. The division gained the connotation of the “Deadeyes”   because of the high level of marksmanship it achieved through the training directed by General Easley. General Easley went overseas to the Pacific Theatre of Operations with the division in the summer of 1944. “For Exceptionally meritorious conduct” General Easley was awarded the Legion of Merit at the close of the Leyte campaign during which he had been wounded by sniper fire and awarded the Purple Heart. On 08-05-1945, he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on Okinawa Island.  On 19-06-1945, he was killed in action, at the age of 53, while directing fire on the last enemy positions on the island.

Speck Easley is reburied with his wife Inez, born Wickline, who died age 83, on 24-06-1979, on the Arlington National Cemetery on 23-02-1949, in Section 2. Close by in Section 2, the graves the General, Commander 92^nd “ Negro Division”, Edward “Ned” Almond

   , Major General, Commander 8^th Bomber Command Europe, Frederick Anderson, Rear Admiral, Commander Destroyer Greyson, Frederic Bell, Navy Admiral, “Operation Crossroads”, William Blandy,General, Commander 32^nd Infantry Division, Clovis Byers, Navy Admiral. Battle of the Leyte Gulf, Robert Carney, Air Force General Lieutenant, Claire Chennault, Lieutenant General, Commander 4^th Corps, Italy Campaign, Willis Crittenberger, Brigadier General, First African-American General, Benjamin Davis, Quartermaster Lieutenant General, John Lesesne De Witt, Major General and Head OSS, William “Wild Bill” Donovan, Brigadier General, Speck Easley, Marine Corps Major General, Commander 1^st Raider Battalion, Merrit “Red Mike” Edson, Lieutenant General, VIII Army, Robert Eichelberger, Navy Admiral, Commander Nord Pacific Fleet, Frank Fletscher and Navy Admiral, Commander VII Forces, William Fechteler, Admiral, U.S. Chief of Naval Material, John Gingrich and U.S. Brigadier General, “ Merrills Marauders “ in Burma, Frank Down Merrill, U.S. 4* Navy Vice Admiral, Commander U.S.S. Hornet, Doolittle Raid, Marc Mitscher, General Lieutenant and commander of the 80^th Infantry Division, nickname  “Blue Ridge Division”  Horrace Logan “Mac” McBride. Casualties of the 80^th: Total-6.029 and KIA-880 and WIA 5.149 in 239 days of combat in the campaigns: Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.