World War II Honoree

Argene Clanton

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Craig County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC AND EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATERS ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS ADMIRAL R.E. COONTZ (AP-122). SERVED ABOARD HIS SHIP FROM THE DATE IT WAS COMMISSIONED UNTIL IT WAS DECOMMISSIONED, AND WAS INVOLVED IN TRAINING NEW MERCHANT MARINE CREWMEMBERS TO OPERATE THE SHIP AFTER THE WAR. HIS TRANSPORT RELOCATED OVER 5000 SOLDIERS FROM EUROPE TO THE PACIFIC AND HE TRANSITED THE PANAMA CANAL 7 TIMES. HE SPENT MANY DAYS AT SEA, OFTEN FOR MONTHS AT A TIME WHILE WORKING IN THE ENGINE ROOM MOST OF THE TIME. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT ULITHI ATOLL IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. WHILE AT OKINAWA, IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, A TYPHOON HIT AND HIS SHIP HAD TO PUT OUT TO SEA WHERE IT RODE OUT THE STORM FOR 3 DAYS. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RATING OF MACHINIST'S MATE SECOND CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.