Clarence Beam, born in Bucks County, PA, now a resident of Jackson, PA, as a young man got on a bus which he thought was taking him to basic training for the Army. Instead, the bus took him to a ship. He had never spent a night away from his home in his life. He cried all the way across the ocean. He never got a gun or any training on that boat and when it landed and everyone got off they were dropping like flies and dying. With no weapon he dropped in the water and played dead.

He was now in the middle of WW2. He became a Staff Sergeant, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and D. Day. He was in forward observations and received 1 of only 5 (total) medals given by the French Government in WW2, the C101X du guerre, their highest honor.

On May 29, 2014, I brought all of the information I could gather from my neighbor, Clarence Beam’s home to the Veteran’s Hospital in Wilkes Barre, PA. I was trying to get Clarence a bed and room there because he is 98 years, blind and dying. Clarence never used the VA for anything in his life, so he wasn’t in their system. I contacted the VA Social Service person who requested I take all of this information to their eligibility department, including dog tags, awards and documentation.

When I arrived at the eligibility department I received the shock of my life. I waited for my turn, walked to the desk. A woman sat there and saw I had a box full of medals, papers, dog tags, etc. I started to introduce myself when she took the papers and threw them in the air stating “All of this stuff is worthless.” I requested a French interpreter but she shrugged her shoulders  and would not call one, nor would she call upstairs to the VA Social Service.

I gave her the box of medals. She dropped them on the table, and threw the dogtags which landed on the floor. She told me I could have bought all of this junk at a yard sale or five and dime. Then she walked out and left me. The papers I took had his rank, battalion number, service number, etc. and most were dated 1945.

The other person (Joe) working there came over while I was picking up Mr. Beam’s dog tags, put his hand in my face and said we are trying to help you. When I asked, again for a French interpreter and social service person, he screamed at me and said he doesn’t make phone calls. He wanted Clarence’s birthdate and SS#. I gave the birthdate but did not have his SS#. He screamed, “What kind of a daughter doesn’t know their fathers SS#?” I told him I wasn’t related to Mr. Beam, I was a neighbor and if he had let me speak I would have explained.

At that moment, I told him I would not be needing their services and would not bring even a sick animal to that place.

I also told him I was a RN and had worked in many hospitals. I had never seen such disrespect, unprofessionalism and lack of compassion for a human being as I had seen that day, where medals of honor and valor had been thrown like garbage.

I did call the VA after and asked to speak with the director. They told me they didn’t have a director at the moment and they would look into the matter.

When I paused to consider what Clarence Beam gave up for his country when needed, I was ashamed about the Wilkes-Barre Veteran Hospital’s response to his request to die in peace, like all of our Hero’s are entitled.

Sincerely,

Charlotte Stone

Thompson, PA