Strickland, Clayton Clifton, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate.
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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives
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From "St. Helena Vets Remember World War II: Personal Interviews
With World War II Vets", published by St. Helena Historical
Association, 1995.  Compiled and edited by Inez Bridges Tate and
reprinted with permission.

CLAYTON CLIFTON STRICKLAND
June 24, 1915 - February 9, 1988

     Clayton Clifton Strickland grew up in the Oakland Community.
The family received their mail at Tinus.

     Clayton's widow Grace said that when Pearl Harbor was bombed
that he left the next day from Kentwood to travel to New Orleans
to join the Navy.  He had to return home to get some matter
straight either about his name or his birthdate.  For this rea-
son, he was delayed entering service until January 3, 1942,
reporting on January 8, 1942.

     According to Clayton's discharge: Entered on 1-8-1942 at
New Orleans.
  
     Under remarks: American and European-African Theatre of
Operations.

     He was a Carpenter's Mate First Class.

     Service (Vessels and stations served on or served from):
USNR Rec. Sta., New Orleans, Louisiana; Headquarters 8th Naval
District; U.S. Naval Station Base, Corpus Christi, Texas; USNH,
Corpus Christi, Texas; RSSO Annex, NO B, Norfolk, Virginia; USS
Stanton (DE-247) US Naval Station, Argentia NFLD; ADM & MIL Com
Naval Repair Base, New Orleans, Louisiana; USNH Chelsea, Mass-
achusetts.  He was discharged on 6-25-45.

     His daughter, Clemenza Devall, recalls her Dad speaking of
his Navy experiences.  Once while aboard the USS Stanton when
the ship was cruising near Greenland, he told of the bitter cold
which included ice over the men and the ship.  Clemenza said he
made life-long friends while in service.  An incident she re-
called happened while her Dad's ship was near Norfolk, Virginia.
Clayton was aboard a ship, a friend was on another but they were
near enough to recognize one another and to wave.  This friend
was from Lafayette, Louisiana.  Other friends were from Waco,
Texas, Fairhope, Alabama and Birmingham, Alabama.

     Clayton was married to Grace Hurst and they were the parents
of 3 children and had 7 grandchildren.  Their son Robert (Bobby)
was killed while in military service in Vietnam.

Information given by daughter Clemenza Stickland Devall.

------


Newspaper clipping:

22 Oct. 1943

      CLIFTON C. STRICKLAND
C.M. 1/c Ships Co., U.S. Naval
Station, Algiers, La., has been in
the Navy for the past year.  He is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. R. 
Strickland.

4 Aug 1944

  Clayton C. Strickland, C.M.
1/c, of U.S. Naval Base of Al-
giers was a week-end guest of 
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chas.
C. Strickland of Chipola.

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