Born in Saint Louis, Missouri a son of William Hazelett and Louise (MacArthur) Clarkson. He was graduated from the Monroe School, 1938 and Roosevelt High School, 1942 in Saint Louis. He spent his summers with his maternal aunt and first cousin at New Piasa Chautauqua, Illinois, where he was a telephone boy and a lifeguard at the swimming pool. He joined the Marine Corps immediately after Pearl Harbor. He spent four months in boot training at San Diego and sailed March 10, 1943 for further training in Wellington, New Zealand. He went with the Second Division, 3rd Battalion 10th Marine Regiment as a reserve officer at the battle of Tarawa. After seven months there he sailed from Honolulu to Saipan. He was an Intelligence Corporal all through the campaign. On July 7, 1944 they were in an advanced position when the Japanese broke through the front lines in an organized Banzai attack. At daybreak a Japanese tank with its canon and machine gun opened fire. It was not known if he was hit by these or a sniper, but he died almost immediately. He was first buried on Saipan in the Second Division cemetery. His permanent interment is in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with two cenotaphs, one in the family lot at Oakwood Cemetery, Upper Alton, Illinois and a sundial by the flagpole at Chautauqua, Illinois.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri a son of William Hazelett and Louise (MacArthur) Clarkson. He was graduated from the Monroe School, 1938 and Roosevelt High School, 1942 in Saint Louis. He spent his summers with his maternal aunt and first cousin at New Piasa Chautauqua, Illinois, where he was a telephone boy and a lifeguard at the swimming pool. He joined the Marine Corps immediately after Pearl Harbor. He spent four months in boot training at San Diego and sailed March 10, 1943 for further training in Wellington, New Zealand. He went with the Second Division, 3rd Battalion 10th Marine Regiment as a reserve officer at the battle of Tarawa. After seven months there he sailed from Honolulu to Saipan. He was an Intelligence Corporal all through the campaign. On July 7, 1944 they were in an advanced position when the Japanese broke through the front lines in an organized Banzai attack. At daybreak a Japanese tank with its canon and machine gun opened fire. It was not known if he was hit by these or a sniper, but he died almost immediately. He was first buried on Saipan in the Second Division cemetery. His permanent interment is in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with two cenotaphs, one in the family lot at Oakwood Cemetery, Upper Alton, Illinois and a sundial by the flagpole at Chautauqua, Illinois.
Bio by: D C McJonathan-Swarm
