Guy Clapper, Jr.
PFC Guy Clapper, Jr. was a Marine aviator who flew with VMSB-151.
He was killed in an operational accident near Wallis Island on 12 January 1944
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 808842
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
April 22, 1924
at Spangler, PA
Parents
Guy Shelly Clapper
Marion (Neilson) Clapper
Education
Morrison Cove High School (1942)
Occupation & Employer
Student
Service Life
Entered Service
January 4, 1943
at Pittsburgh, PA
Home Of Record
Rural Route 1
Martinsburg, PA
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Marion Clapper
Military Specialty
Aviation radioman/gunner
Primary Unit
VMSB-151
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Guy Clapper enlisted in the Marine Corps at Altoona, Pennsylvania on 31 December 1942, and was called to active duty four days later. After training at Parris Island and attending radio school at Texas A&M, Clapper deployed to the Pacific as a member of VMSB-151, part of the 4th Marine Base Defense Air Wing stationed at Wallis Island. Duty in the Central Pacific was mostly routine patrols, but could still be dangerous – the squadron lost several aircraft, and a few Marines, to operational accidents.
On 14 January 19344, 2Lt. Fleming P. Griffith took off for a routine flight over Wallis Island in a “Dauntless” scout bomber, SBD-5 #29092. PFC Clapper, who recently marked one year in uniform, rode in the rear seat. At approximately 1100 hours, Griffith put the plane into a normal dive. For reasons that will never be known, the SBD failed to pull out and “crashed into the sea, exploded, burned & sank” four miles from shore.
Rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the scene, but could find no trace of Griffith or Clapper. Both Marines were declared dead in the accident.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Marion Clapper.
The family lived on Rural Route 1 outside of Martinsburg.
Location Of Loss
Griffith and Clapper crashed at sea somewhere near Wallis Island.
