Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Audio Recording Herbert Clofine Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon, 2nd Battalion, Blue Combat Team, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders)
- Location of Service: Trinidad; China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater; Fort Knox, Kentucky
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/29945
Determined to serve his country during World War II, Herbert Clofine wouldn't let a 4-F deferment stop him. He asked to be a voluntary draftee. But after he trained to be a radio operator, he found himself stuck in the States monitoring the coastline for submarines. He answered a call for an unspecified dangerous mission and wound up in Bombay, India, training for what would be know as Merrill's Marauders, the legendary fighting unit that bedeviled the Japanese with guerrilla tactics, despite being vastly outnumbered. Clofine was radioman with the Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon that worked ahead of the Mauraders; a member of his team, Robert Landis, was the first American World War II casualty in Asia.
Herbert Clofine Collection
Interview / Recording
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PlayAssignment to be out ahead of the rest of the unit doing intelligence and recon work; battles to take an airstrip; breaking up on the Marauders. 00:07:56.6 - 00:11:03.0
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PlayTraversing the difficult terrain; General Merrill surprising a Japanese general in a 1952 conversation just how few men the Marauders had; Japanese soldiers putting flowers on Marauders' graves in the field. 00:19:54.0 - 00:22:45.9
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PlayWashington expected MM to have 80 percent casualties; they did lose a lot of men to diseases; determination helped them to survive. 00:23:57.7 - 00:26:27.0
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Herbert Clofine Collection
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About this Item
Title
- Herbert Clofine Collection
Names
- Piazza, Philip B.
- Chason, Christy Michelle
- Clofine, Herbert
- Merrill's Marauders Association
Home State
- Pennsylvania
Headings
- - Clofine, Herbert
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon, 2nd Battalion, Blue Combat Team, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders)
- Location of Service: Trinidad; China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater; Fort Knox, Kentucky
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1946
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Computer File: Floppy Disk [1 item] -- Electronic file of manuscript (collected 2008-03-10; 2008-03-11)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of audio recording (collected 2008-03-10)
- Photograph: Copy photographic print [1 item] -- Portrait (collected unknown)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-08-27)
- Audio: CD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2005-08-27; 2007-10-31)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/29945
Cite as
- Herbert Clofine Collection (AFC/2001/001/29945), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image
- online text
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
Service Unit
- 2nd Battalion
- 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders)
- Blue Combat Team
- Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon