- Date Of Birth: February 2, 1920
- Date Of Death: February 9, 2013
- State: Texas
Arthur Clyde Rose, February 2, 1920 – February 9, 2013.
Arthur Clyde Rose, Clyde, as he was known by his family and friends, was born February 2, 1920, at the old King’s Daughters Hospital, Temple, Texas to James Halbrook Rose and Annie Price Rose. He had two older sisters and two younger sisters. In 1932 a baby brother was born and his mother died. By the time he was a toddler his father, who was a farmer, was taking him to acquaint him with the mules, horses, cows, etc. At a very early age began to be involved with farming activities.
When he started school he had learned about planting and harvesting. Whenever his father traded for a horse or mule he would put Clyde up on his back to check if he was broke or gentle. Prior to going to school he would go with his father to Belton First Monday and ate his first hamburger with an orange crush soda water at the Hamburger King. Clyde attended rural schools north of Belton and in the Moody area. When his mother died he started working with his father full time. When Clyde was sixteen he started working for a dollar a day at the Berwinkle dairy. He continued there until June of 1950 when he joined the National Guard.
That year when the US began mobilizing, he and 128 men from Temple and vicinity moved to Brownwood to complete Camp Bowie and train. Company D, of the 143rd Infantry 36th Division trained in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, the East Coast and Africa. September 9, 1944 first invasion of Europe was made at Salerno, Italy, Clyde was Transportation Sergeant and one of the first four drivers to take ammunition to the beach. The first twelve days were horrendous for the 36th. Mule trains delivered supplies and returned with the dead. After the capitulation of Italy the 36th moved on to Southern France and then to Central Europe from his enlistment until Clyde’s discharge in April, 1945 was five years and twenty days.
He received a purple heart. Before his death there were only two left, now there is one. A monument was erected to these men at the Gober House. Clyde married Gloria Robinson upon receiving his discharge April, 1945 as he and Gloria had vowed. They were married until her death in 1993. They had one son, Johnnie C Rose of Temple, deceased April, 2012. Within a few days he was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in the Car Department until his retirement after thirty five years. He held membership in the PCU Brotherhood of Railway Cars of America, as a founding member of the Temple Calvary Baptist Church, Temple Longhorn Riding Club, and Bell Co. Sheriff’s Posse for fifteen years, the Belton Senior Center and American Legion Post 133.
Survivors include companion Frances Birtchet of Temple, granddaughter Summer Rose Rich of North Carolina, daughter-in-law Paula Rose of Temple and her two children Stacy Shackleford and Keith Archer and five great-grandchildren, Davis Rich, Morgan Rich, Callie, Cooper and Cole Shackleford and Ace Archer. Pallbearers will be James Adams, Charles Ingram, Wayne Ingram, Harold Procter, Keith Archer and Brian Shackleford.
