News Service

11-06-09

ISU Gold Star Hall ceremony honors fallen Korean War soldier from Plymouth

AMES, Iowa -- A Veterans Day observance at Iowa State University will honor seven former students whose names have been added to the Gold Star Hall, the war memorial in the university's Memorial Union. One was a soldier from Plymouth, Carl Jacob Claus, who died in the Korean War.

Former students are eligible for name-placement in Gold Star Hall if they graduated or attended Iowa State full time for one or more semesters, and died while in military service in a war zone. The university has recently identified several who had not been identified in previous searches. As names become known, they are added to the wall and the soldiers are remembered in the Gold Star Hall Ceremony on Veterans Day.

Iowa State is able to memorialize Claus on Veterans Day thanks to the help of his sister, Pauline Field, Nora Springs, who shared her memories.

Claus was born April 17, 1928, on his parents' farm two miles south of Plymouth. He was an animal lover and had many pets. At the age of 10, Claus entered a contest with an essay, "Why My Father Should Raise Purebred Ayrshires," and won first place. The prize was a registered bull calf. This was the beginning of his family's purebred Ayrshire herd, which continues today.

Claus graduated from high school with honors and attended Upper Iowa in Fayette, transferring to Iowa State in the fall of 1947 to study veterinary medicine. He enlisted in the Army in January 1951.

Claus was one of a select group that trained scout dogs to sense the enemy in Korea. While training German shepherds, he became attached to his favorite--Rex. When Claus was shipped to Korea in February 1952 as a Corporal with the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon, Rex and the other dogs he had trained accompanied him.

In June, Claus was seriously wounded by the enemy while on patrol in North Korea. It was reported that Rex had alerted Claus, who advised the patrol leader of the position of the enemy, but the patrol proceeded anyway. Both Claus and Rex died from wounds suffered in the attack.

In 1953, the Army Chief of Staff awarded the dog platoon a Meritorious Unit Commendation, largely due to the service of Claus and Rex. Claus was posthumously awarded the Silver Star in a special ceremony organized by American Legion Post 400 in Plymouth in October 1952. He also received a Purple Heart.

Three dog handlers from Claus' original group are still alive and fondly remember Claus.

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