From D-Day to today: 103-year-old Poplar Bluff veteran honored for his remarkable journey

A 103-year-old World War II Army veteran from Poplar Bluff was honored recently with VA’s Centenarian Award at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

Clemens Deken is a resident of the medical center’s Community Living Center and was presented the award on behalf of the VA secretary by Interim Medical Center Director Fabian Grabski.

“There were 15 million people in uniform for the United States during World War II. Sadly, as I see today, there are just over 60,000 of our former service men and women still with us,” Grabski noted, in a press release from the local VA.

The Centenarian Recognition Program “was started by Secretary of VA Wilke, so this goes back a number of years ago,” Grabski added, noting it has continued under current secretary Doug Collins.

“Today, we’re here to honor Mr. Clemens Deken, and extend our gratitude for your service to this country,” Grabski continued. “He’s a D-Day veteran. He was in it from the beginning of the D-Day landing in 1944 until the end of the war when Germany surrendered.”

Grabski noted Deken’s military occupational specialty during that period was a tank mechanic, so “he would go in with armored forces as they proceeded through France and then through Germany, ultimately marking the end of the Third Reich.”

Deken’s family, along with several members of local veteran service organizations, were in attendance at the presentation.

“I think it’s a really neat award that they can do this for him and honor him because, like they said, this is the greatest generation. To see him recognized is a good thing,” Deken’s son, Felix Deken.

“It’s a great honor to be awarded something,” added daughter-in-law Amy Deken, who noted the care her father-in-law receives at the medical center is “exceptional. We love everyone here, and they consider him a hero and a superstar.”