World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Clifton E. Fomby
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Los Angeles, California
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps October 16, 1940 at New Orleans, Louisiana, completing basic training with the First Recruit Battalion Recruit Depot; Marine Corps Base San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton Oceanside, California for combat training. Following infantry training, he served as a Squad Leader with Charlie Company, First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment, a subordinate unit of the Second Division. His division participated in the amphibious assault on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll Gilbert Islands, Code Name: Operation Galvanic Location: Central Pacific Theater of Operations. Monday, November 22, 1943 he was mortally wounded, during combat operations against the Imperial army forces. Succeeding the Tarawa Battle, his Brothers-in-Arms buried him in the Betio Lone Palm battlefield cemetery. In the post-war era, his family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Bernice Cemetery Bernice, Louisiana. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.