Clarence Shires, Jr.’s Collection – 9th Infantry Division

1st Platoon, C Company, 4th/47th Battalion, 2nd Brigade

Page 1,2,3

Sgt Clarence Shires with RTO Ralph Wilson
in the Mekong Delta.

Introduction: Clarence, like so many other Charlie
Company troopers was drafted on May 17, 1966 – he
was drafted out of Chesapeake, Virginia. After going
through a US Army induction station at Fort Jackson,
South Carolina, he ended up at Fort Riley Kansas for
Basic Training with A Battery, 84th Artillery. Clarence
was 23 years old and already had been married and
divorced and he had a daughter.

After Basic Training, he was both surprised and
subdued upon learning he was being transferred to
Charlie Company, 4th/47th. He soon found himself assigned to the 1st Platoon with a great bunch of
dedicated and friendly group of guys.

After Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) and misc other training, he and Charlie Company, along with the
entire 2nd Brigade traveled by train in January 1967 to Oakland, California where a troop ship awaited
for their next amazing adventure. It took approximately three weeks for the USS General John Pope to
deliver the 2nd Brigade to South Vietnam where an adventure of a lifetime was about to begin.
Clarence spent all of 1967 with the 1st Platoon’s 2nd squad as a fire team leader and part time squad
leader. Upon his return home he soon married the sister of an Army buddy and he raised a fine family.
34 years later he retired from the Department of the US Navy. Clarence says he would not trade his
Army experiences and his many Army buddies for any amount of money. Several of his letters sent to
his parents during 1967 are posted on these three memorabilia pages & they reveal what an
extraordinary, grueling experience Vietnam was for Clarence and his Charlie Company pals. . .

Aboard the USS General John Pope – Left to Right: Bob Hausner, Gerald Specht, Donald
Peterson, David Jarczewski, & Clarence Shires.

**Charlie Company’s Latrine at Camp Bearcat – February 1967**

Clarence Shires (Chesapeake, Virginia) & Wayne Stancil (Black Creek, North Carolina) met at Ralph’s Barbeque in Weldon, North Carolina on Sunday, January 6, 2013. They hugged, had lunch, shared war stories, signed books, and shared old Army photos. This was the first time they met since the Spring of 1967 in the Mekong Delta. Wayne was shot two times in the Rung Sat and Clarence had been hit in his neck on July 11, 1967. Both had a great time and plan to meet again soon. Photos are courtesy of Clarence’s wife, Loretta.

Sgt Pedro Blas (4th Platoon) and Sgt Buford
Hoover (1st Platoon).

Gary “Doc” Maibach
1st Platoon’s heroic medic

**Sgt Clarence Shires at the right with his squad members. . .**

1st Platoon troopers, Jim Stephens (left), John Bauler,
Jim Dennison and ?? (front) aboard the USS Benewah.