Clarence J. Simmons

Date of Birth: 06/10/1946
Neighborhood: West Philadelphia
High School: West Philadelphia High School
Street: Walnut Street
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Rank: PFC
Date of Casualty: 05/02/1967
Province of Casualty: Quang Tin
Philadelphia Memorial Panel: Panel 28
Panel Row: 4

Click on the memorial panel below for a printable photo of the serviceman on this page.



The 20-year-old private first class left West Philadelphia High School in 1965 to fulfill his ambition of joining the Marine Corps. Simmons was sent to Vietnam, writing home that "living is hard, but dying is easy." He felt that it was a terrible place, but he there was a job to be done there. The rifleman, assigned to Company C of Battalion Landing Team 1, 3rd Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Group, He died in Quang Tri Province on May 2, 1967, during Operation Beavercage. Survivors included his parents and two sisters.

Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial