4/8/1945
Corporal Clellie Clayton Whited Jr. was born 21 July 1925 in Ravenswood, West Virginia. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on 9 October 1943 in Charleston, West Virginia and attended Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon graduation from Recruit Training in April 1944 , Private First Class Whited was temporarily assigned to the Marine Corps Barracks Detachment, Washington D.C. where he attended the Bomb Disposal School at American University Campus. He was promoted to Corporal in July 1944 and upon completion of Bomb Disposal School, Corporal Whited was assigned to First Bomb Disposal Company, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
In October 1944, Corporal Whited was sent to the Central Pacific Command’s Engineering Training Center to receive additional training. After completing his training, he rejoined his unit in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Corporal Whited was a member of the First Bomb Disposal Company which embarked on Landing Ship Medium (LSM) 78 and LSM 174 on 3 January 1945 for transport to Guadalcanal. While stationed on Guadalcanal, Corporal Whited trained and prepared for the invasion of Okinawa, Japan. Corporal Whited’s unit boarded the transport ship, USS DICKMAN, to participate in the landing operations on Okinawa.
On 8 April 1945, at 0810hrs Corporal Whited was killed in action by enemy fire while conducting combat operations. Corporal Whited was buried in the 1st Marine Division Cemetery in Okinawa, Japan. Following World War II, he was repatriated and buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 3 March 1949.
Corporal Clellie Clayton Whited Jr. is survived by his sister, Eleanor Swiger, and brother, Kenneth Whited.