Shadow

Personal Info

First Name

Robert

Last Name

Clapp

My Location

Washington

My Service

Marine Corps

My Status

Retired

My Military Career Field

Enlisted---Radiotelegraph Operator/Radio Direction Finder Operator. Made Sergeant., Officer---Aviator in mostly single seat jet fighters, single seat jet attack, and Both Cobra and Huey helicopters. Retired as Colonel., I had two 13 month tours in Vietnam. 1965-66 and 1968-69. I also was on the Phenom Pen, Cambobia and Saigon, South Vietnam Evacuations of April, 1975. At my last duty Station I commanded over 4000 Marines.

My Tags

Camp Geiger, Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, MCAS Cherry Point, MCAS Kaneohe Bay, MCAS Futemna, NAS Kingsville, NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field, NAS Memphis, Okinawa, Camp Schwab, Vietnam, Chu Lai, DaNang, East Coast, West Coast, Texas, Hawaii, Korea, Japan

About Me

Enlisted in Mississippi National Guard (Artillery) on 23 September, 1953. My 17th Birthday. Discharged 23 June 1954.

Enlisted in Marines 24 June, 1954. Age 17 Private, USMC. Boot Camp at Parris Island, SC. Made Sergeant. Discharged 23 June 1957.

Re-enlisted Miss Nat Guard 24 June 1957. Made Sgt First Class before going to OCS. Army Artillery/Missile Officer Candidate School, Ft Sill, Oklahoma through Mississippi National Guard, June-August 1959. Graduated #2 of about 150 candidates.

Graduated Mississippi State University with degree in Theroretical Mathematics in January, 1961.

Marine Officer Candidate School, MCB Quantico, Virginia March-May, 1961. Graduated #17 of about 300 candidates.

Flight School June 1961--November 1962.

Later went to Navy Postgraduate School, Momterey, CA to Aviation Safety Officer's School during summer 1967

From late 1969 to mid 1972 was an instructor in the Navy's Advanced Jet Training Command.

Then went to Marine Command and Staff College, MCB Quantico, VA.

Was an Executive Officer 6 times (that's #2 in an outfit).

Was a Commanding Officer 3 times ( 2nd one as XO and then CO of the Navy's Advanced Helicopter Training Squadron. First Marine to command a Navy squadron.

Had two 13 month combat tours in Vietnam. April 1965--May 1966, and September 1968--October 1969. Plus participated later in both the Penhom Pen, Cambodia and Saigon, South Vietnam Evacuations in April 1975.

Retired 1 January, 1986. Age 49 Colonel, USMC

Words of Wisdom

When you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.

History

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1 year 1 week

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