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Clyde Ross Williams

PFC Clyde R. Williams served with Able Company, First Battalion, 8th Marines.
He was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 22 November 1943.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 365522

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

December 17, 1921
at Juda, WI

Parents

Fred Max Williams
Lura Idell (Morris) Williams

Education

Monroe High School (1939)

Occupation & Employer

Family farm

Service Life

Entered Service

January 23, 1942
at Milwaukee, WI

Home Of Record

Monroe, WI

Next Of Kin

Father, Mr. Fred Williams

Military Specialty

Primary Unit

A/1/8th Marines

Campaigns Served

Guadalcanal
Tarawa

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

PFC Clyde Williams served with Company A, First Battalion, 8th Marines during the Guadalcanal campaign and in the battle for Tarawa.

At midday on 20 November 1943, BLT 1-8 climbed over the sides of their transport ships and boarded LCVPs in Tarawa lagoon. They anticipated imminent landing orders, but due to the desperate situation on the beach were held offshore in their little boats, bobbing in the waves for the rest of the day and a very long night. Early on 21 November, they were ordered to land on Betio’s Beach Red 2.

At 0615, the first waves of 1-8 rushed down the ramps and into the breaking surf on a coral reef some 500 yards from shore. Although friendly troops held the water’s edge, they “immediately came under heavy machine gun fire from both flanks.” The battalion was decimated on the long walk to shore. An action report penned by the 8th Marines noted that “many of the casualties resulted from drowning, due to the heavy packs and equipment men attempted to take across the submerged fringing reef.”

PFC Williams survived the landing and a full day of combat, but did not live to see the end of the battle. He was initially reported as wounded in action, but this error was quickly corrected to missing in action. Nothing further was ever learned of his whereabouts or fate, and Williams was ultimately declared dead as of 22 November 1943.

Burial Information or Disposition

None recorded; reported as missing in action.

A memorial marker was erected in Cemetery 33, Plot 2, Row 3, Grave 3.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of father, Mr. Fred Williams.

Location Of Loss

PFC Williams was killed in action at an unspecified location on Betio.

Betio Casualties From This Company​

(Recently accounted for or still non-recovered)
*Although BLT 1-8 did not land until 21 November, the official date of death for some personnel is given as 20 November 1943.
The reasons for this discrepancy are not known.
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