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Manning Monitor articles ------ 1944
Lt, Col. Best Heads Staff Col. Best In England We have been informed by S. H. Best that his son Col. Clifford Best has arrived in England, making the voyage without any mishap. He says they received a royal welcome there and that people' were doing everything possible to make it pleasant for the newcomers. Col. Best Writes To His Father July 26, 1944. Dear Father: We are now situated in a nice large field which has proved very satisfactory after it was "deloused." Field had been fought over and in, and contained many duds, unexploded grenades, and live ammunition of various sorts. Fortunately no mines were found and we hope we have cleared out most of the live stuff. Mines are wicked things to fool with, even for an expert. I see reports in the paper that the Germans have even mined some of our dead. A foul trick if I have ever seen one. All in all the fighting has been pretty tough here in Normandy. Each field is enclosed with a hedge, frequently by trees a perfect hiding place for snipers and to hide gun emplacements. The Germans will mine unused hedges so we are unable to use them to the same extent as they do. However, we do have a great advantage, our air force. I saw an example of that yesterday morning when a force of 3000 planes bombed the front lines. It was a sight that defeats the imagination, for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours the sky was full of planes of all descriptions; coming in squadrons of 20--30-40 planes, stretching back toward England, the lead planes dropping bombs and then wheeling to get out of the way of the next group. The ground shook under our feet with the continuous blasts and rumble of the bombs and over the front the sky was black with clouds of smoke and dust rising high above the battlefield. It was an impressive example of our might. A German Lutfwaffe medico which we have as a prisoner helped, shook his head and said "I've never seen anything like that ever!" German planes are few and far between but occasionally one comes over, usually during evening or at night. The other night one came over the hospital and our ack-ack opened up. Got up to see the sight and found the sky to be full of red tracers and bursting shells. Wasn't too funny because particles of bursting shells (flak) was humming about the hospital area and they can give you some nasty wounds if you meet up with it. Even under these conditions meet with amusing highlights. I was just debating whether to get in my fox hole and rejected the idea because it was too muddy. I then heard one of the officers say, "Charlie, are you in your fox hole," I and the reply, "Hell yes, can't you hear that flak buzzing around here like hornets." Later on when things had quieted down Charlie went in his tent but soon re- turned outside and I asked him what troubled him. He said "I got mud between my toes." Which gave me a good laugh. Push on today with the guns thundering almost continuously and in the distance an occasional burst of machine gun fire. Fortunately our planes seem to have knocked out much of their artillery. They don't bother us much but in searching for one of our batteries they occasionally come a little close. By this time we have the incoming and outgoing shells pretty well spotted. When we hear an increasing whistle we sit up and take notice.
For a time my men would attempt to imitate the sound but I soon put a stop to this. Anyhow,
after seeing the results you don't have to insist that they dig foxholes anymore, they
have the idea firmly fixed in their mind. Manning Monitor article------ 1945
Europe Wedding Role to Iowa Man
The couple was married Thursday in the historic Protestant Temple here by Chaplain
Michael, P. Testa. Cranston. R. I. |
Dr. Best, who had worked as a physician following his Army retirement, made his home in Pompano Beach. His death followed a long illness, Memorial services were held at Pompano Beach, and' burial was in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Clifford A. Best was born at Manning January 12, 1903, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sherman and Sarah (Campbell) Best. He graduated from Manning High School in 1919, and later graduated from the University of Iowa, College of Medicine in 1925.
He then entered the Army Medical Corps, and in World War II was Division Surgeon of the 82nd Airborne Division. Later, he was Surgeon of the Third Army in Europe.
After retiring from the Army he became chief of clinical services at a United Mine Workers Hospital in Hayward and Pikesville, Kentucky.
Dr. Best was a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Survivors include his wife, Ester (Griess) Best; a son, Clifford, of Charlotte, North Carolina; two daughters, Mrs. M.R. Ives of McLean, Virginia; and Mrs. John R. Sturges of Glen Landing, Long Island, New York; six grandchildren; one brother, Russell Best of Audubon; and two sisters, Mrs. Ira Miller of Audubon, and Mrs. Blanche Mayberry of Missouri.
Cololonel Best's father, the late Sherman Best, was more than 100 years old at the time of his death several years ago.
In 1930, he was married to Esther Griess (June 9, 1903 - February 22, 2003).
After retiring from the Army, Doctor Best became chief of clinical services at a United Mine Workers Hospital in Hayward and Pikesville, Kentucky. He was also a fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine.
He died February 12, 1972, in Pompano Beach, Florida.
He is buried with his wife at the Arlington National Cemetery, Section 53 - site 2411, Arlington, Virginia.