John Marion Clifton, 1919 - 1944

John Marion Clifton was the only son of Marion C. "Doc" Clifton and Alice Myrtle (Rodgers) Perry.    He was my grandfather, Jame Mortimer Perry's, half-brother.  John Marion also had half-siblings from his father's first marriage to Rosa Canada; they were Artie Cecil, Goldie May, George Thomas, and Herschel Clifton.

John Marion was born about October 1919 near Jamestown, Boone Co., Indiana.  When he was born, his mother was 41 and his father was 56.  The 1920 census (taken in January 1920) shows him in Jackson Township, Boone Co., Indiana, with his parents; his 12-year-old half-brother, Herschel; and his 19-year-old half-sister, Venus Perry.  He is listed as 2 months old.

Herschel, John Marion, Alice Myrtle and "Doc" Clifton, about 1920

The 1930 census shows the family in the same place.  By this time, the other children were all out of the house.  The family consisted of Marion, Alice Myrtle, John Marion, and Alice's father, John Will Rodgers, who was widowed.  John Marion's age was given as 10 years old.

The 1940 census (taken in May 1940) lists the household members as Marion, Myrtle, and John Marion, age 20.

John Marion Clifton

On 22 April 1941, John Marion enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana.   His enlistment record states that he had 4 years of high school, had been working as a waiter, and that he was 64" tall and weighed 174 pounds.  He was single and had no dependents.

John Marion had just recently joined the service when he wrote a letter to his sister, Venus.  The copy I have of the letter is difficult to read and there is no date or envelope.  The letter  follows:

"Dearest "Sis"     I finally caught time to drop you a line.  I arrived here in camp Tuesday morning about 5:00 A.M. all safe and sound.  I left Indianapolis on the 2:40 P.M. train to Louisville and hitch-hiked to Nashville from there.  I was very fortunate and the first ride I got took me straight into Nashville.  I took the train again from there into Tallahassee.  I am feeling fine.
Listen I want to tell you something.  I am making you my second beneficiary on my insurance.  It is a $10,000 policy.  Of course "Dad" is the first and if anything should ever happen to him you take over from there.  I am not doing this for what you have done for me, but that I am looking to you to take Mother's place as near as possible.  I know that you are the only one that would look after my welfare and try to guide me right and want me to do the right things.  You are the only sister that has been a sister to me from the beginning to the end.  Now this is the way I want it Venus.  I have thought it over many a time.  You are the only one that actually needs it. 
It won't be long until I will be going to combat.  If anything happens to me just remember that I love you and feel towards you as only a brother could.  Please send me Jim's new address.  It seems that he wrote you first, that I can't keep up with him.  That is about all the time I have to write just now.  Tell all the kids I said "Hello."    Your brother, Marion."

John Marion was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion and his rank was T-5 (Technician Grade 5).  He was indeed sent overseas and he took part in the invasion at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.  He was killed during the invasion on 6 June 1944.  He was 25 years old.

He was at first reported as missing in action.  The following appeared in the Jamestown Press, Jamestown, Indiana, on 29 June 1944:

"Missing In Action.    JOHN M. CLIFTON, RANGER, MISSING.  FATHER HERE RECEIVES MESSAGE.  T-5 John Marion Clifton of the U.S. Rangers has been reported as missing in action, according to a message received by his father, Marion Clifton, late Sunday evening.  The message which came from Washington, stated that he had been missing since June 6.
     His father had received a letter from him on Wednesday of last week.  The letter, however, had no date or postmark, but it was assumed that it had been written before the invasion.
     T-5 Clifton has been in military service since April, 1941.  As a member of the National Guards he was in training at Hattiesburg, Miss., before Pearl Harbor.  His training at Camp Shelby was so prolonged that he volunteered for service with the Rangers.  After many months of training in the southern states, he was sent last fall to Camp Dix, New Jersey.  His last visit home was October, 1943, and he left the States in December.
     T-5 Clifton is a graduate of the Jamestown high school of the class of 1937.  He is a member of the Knights of Phythias and Pythian Sisters lodges of Jamestown.  His mother Mrs. Myrtle Clifton, passed away last August."

But the family soon learned that John Marion had indeed been killed.  A memorial service was held for him on 16 July 1944 at the Jamestown Christian Church, Jamestown, Indiana.

John Marion Clifton was awarded a Purple Heart.  He is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France.  I have not found an obituary for him.

John Marion's father, Marion "Doc" Clifton, died in October 1945.  Herschel Clifton's widow, Elsie, told my mother that when "Doc" Clifton died and his children were cleaning out the house, John Marion's Clifton half-siblings threw away all of John Marion's photographs, letters, and other possessions, including his Purple Heart medal.  Elsie said there was a lot of resentment toward John Marion by the other Clifton children.  I have no way to confirm this story; everyone involved has now passed away.

May 13, 2019: UPDATE:

The two photos below of John Marion Clifton were shared with permission by my cousin, Mary Lou Marshall.  Thank you, Mary Lou.  They were taken shortly before he left to go to the service.

John Marion Clifton ca 1941

John Marion Clifton (left) and James Creager (right) ca 1941