CLAWSON, William K. (Vietnam) - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Attica, Ind. - The grandson of an Attica Route 3 couple was killed in Vietnam, one week after arriving there. Army Warrant Officer William K. Clawson, 24, Linden Route 1, died Thursday when his helicopter crashed north of Saigon. It is believed the helicopter he was piloting crashed because of mechanical failure. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Webster Clawson, Attica. Other survivors include his wife of three months, Mrs. Linda K. Clawson of Alabama, parents, Mr. and Mrs. William W. Clawson, Linden Route 1; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Maguire of Linden, and brother and two sisters. Warrant Officer Clawson received his pilot wings Oct. 24 at the aviation school at Fort Rucker, Ala. He was a 1961 graduate of Linden High School and has attended Purdue University.

Linden - Warrant Officer William K. Clawson, 24, former Linden resident, died in a helicopter accident in Vietnam on Dec. 14, just a week after he arrived in that country. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. William W. Clawson, Rt. 1, Linden, were informed that the craft on which he was serving during a combat assault mission caught fire and crashed. He had been flying out of the "Bear-cat" area north of Saigon. W.O. Clawson, who was graduated from Linden High School, in 1961, received his silver wings as a warrant officer on Oct. 24 upon his graduation from the Army Aviation School at Ft. Rucker, Ala. Following his graduation from high school, Clawson attended Purdue University for two and a half years. He enlisted in the U.S. Army three and a half years ago.

Source: Unknown newspaper - article found in scrapbook of obituaries collected by Fauniel Hershberger, - typed by: GA

Friday, 11 October 1968 Mr. and Mrs. William W. Clawson of Rt. 1, Linden have received the military awards, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, given posthumously to their son, William K. Clawson, who was killed Dec. 14, 1967 in Vietnam. Warrent Officer Clawson, an Army helicopter pilot, died when his aircraft crashed near Phan Thieu when the rotor transmission apparently failed, carrying the entire crew to their deaths. WO Clawson had flown more than 50 assault missions during the week of Dec. 7-14 when his helicopter went down. Because of his voluntary and exceptionally valorous actions he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. WO Clawson had also been awarded the Air Medal, an Oak Leaf Cluster and a Purple Heart. He was a member of the 240th Assault Helicopter Company and had received his silver wings as a warrant officer Oct. 24, 1967 upon his graduation from the Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Ala.