Clifford Donally Garrabrant
SSgt. Clifford “Don” Garrabrant was a Marine fighter pilot who flew with VMF-224 during the Guadalcanal campaign.
He failed to return from a fighter intercept mission on 5 September 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 273030
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
December 9, 1919
at Long Beach, CA
Parents
Albert Donally Garrabrant
Vera Ruth (Woolsey) Garrabrant
Education
Covina High School (1939)
Occupation & Employer
Enlisted in regular USMC after completing high school.
Service Life
Entered Service
July 3, 1939
at Long Beach, CA
Home Of Record
242 North Newlin Street
Whittier, CA
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Lillian Arvilla Gandy Garrabrant
Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMF-224
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Distinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
Garrabrant was a “flying sergeant,” or non-commissioned pilot, with VMF-224.
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Staff Sergeant Clifford “Don” Garrabrant, a Marine enlisted pilot, flew a fighter plane with VMF-224 – part of the “Cactus Air Force” stationed at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in the fall of 1942.
On 5 September, American pilots scrambled to intercept an incoming strike force of Japanese fighters and bombers. SSgt. Garrabrant’s Wildcat failed to turn over; instead of heading for cover, Garrabrant and his crew chief struggled with the engine for five vital minutes. Finally, F4F-4 BuNo 5096 roared to life and took off alone.
Garrabrant never managed to catch up to his squardon. He was last seen fighting multiple Japanese Zeros by himself; radio operators at Henderson heard him report being “in trouble.” Nothing more was heard from SSgt. Garrabrant, and he was reported as missing in action following the engagement.
Garrabrant was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on 5 September 1942.
Burial Information or Disposition
SSgt. Garrabrant’s plane did not return from this mission, and no known crash site or set of remains has been associated with his disappearance.
He was declared dead on 6 September 1943.
Memorials
Gallery
Related Profiles
Missing VMF-224 pilots, Guadalcanal campaign.
Note: An earlier version of this page incorrectly identified SSgt. Garrabrant in a group photo of VMF-224 pilots on Guadalcanal.
The individual shown below is, in fact, Lt. William V. Brooks.
This image, with incorrect names, appears in “Time Of The Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons” by CDR Peter B. Merskey USNR.
Corrected names are from “The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign” by John Lundstrom.
A big thank you goes to whoever put this together, this is the most my grandfather has heard about his brother in 70 years. It’s good to know Donny’s story hasn’t been lost.