35th Infantry (Cacti) Regiment Association


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  SGT Clarence E. Roberts    In memory of our fallen brother

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother"



Cannon Company
35th Infantry Regiment
World War II

"Not For Fame or Reward
Not For Place or For Rank
But In Simple Obedience To
Duty as They Understood It"






The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, SGT Clarence E. Roberts, who died in the service of his country on February 7th, 1945 in Luzon. The cause of death was listed as KIA. At the time of his death Clarence was 24 years of age. He was from Ijamsville, Maryland.

The decorations earned by SGT Clarence E. Roberts include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

The News, Frederick, MD, June 12, 1945
SGT. CLARENCE E. ROBERTS, 23, a pre-Pearl Harbor veteran, has been killed in action in the Philippines, his mother, Mrs. Forrest Roberts, Ijamsville, said today she had been notified by the War Department.

Sgt. Roberts, who had taken part in the Solomons campaign at Guadacanal and Vella Lavella early in the war, enlisted in the Army October 2, 1939. He was at Schofield barracks in Hawaii when the Japs struck to start the war in December, 1941, and escaped unhurt. Prior to leaving the states, he had training at Fort Slocum, N.Y.

Late in 1942 he left Hawaii and went to the Solomons, to fight through the campaigns there. He was in New Zealand at a rest camp and at New Caledonia before going ashore in the Philippine invasion. His mother said there had been no word from him since late in November. She had also said he had not been home since leaving this country before the was started.

Sgt.Roberts was with a Cannon Company of an infantry outfit. Mrs. Roberts said she had written to the chaplain of the outfit in an effort to secure further information but had received no reply up to this time. Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Roberts, he is survived by three brothers and three sisters.
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The News, Frederick, MD, June 16, 1945
Sgt. Clarence E. Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Roberts, Ijamsville, was killed in action in the Philippines, the War Department has notified his parents. Sgt. Roberts had been in the Army since October 2, 1939, was in Hawaii when the Japs struck in 1941 and saw service in Guadalcanal and Vella Lavella campaigns early in the war.
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The News, Frederick, MD, July 14, 1945
Sgt. Clarence Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Roberts, Ijamsville, was instatnly killed in the Philippines when a concealed enemy gun scored a direct hit on a group of Americans, his company commander has informed his parents.

Sgt. Robers was reported killed some time ago. His commander said the action occurred at Lupao in Nueva Ecija province on Luzon. He said Sgt. Roberts and his crew mated from the cannon company of an infantry outfit were "engaging one of the enemy tanks which had held up our regiment from seizing the town of Lupao and annihilating the enemy. A well concealed enemy gun, up to then unsuspected, scored a direct hit on our boys."
Sgt. Roberts was instantly killed. The commanding officer arrived in a few seconds, since he was directing the operation, and had the body removed to the cemetery at Santa Barbara, Pangasinan province, Luzon, where burial took place the same evening.

The local man had been a member of Cannon Company since September, 1942. A pre-Pearl Harbor veteran, Sgt. Roberts was in Hawaii when the Japs struck and afterward participated in the Guadalcanal and Vella Lavella campaigns. He had also served on New Zealand, New Caledonia and Luzon. He was eligible to wear the American Defense ribbon with one bronze star, the AsiaticPacific ribbon with four bronze stars and the Philippine Liberation ribbon with one bronze star, along with the Combat Infantrymans badge and the Good Conduct ribbon.
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The News, Frederick, MD, May 29, 1948
War Casualties Being Returned
The remains of four local men are among the 4,459 American war casualties being returned to the United States from Manila aboard the U.S. Army Transport Lieut. George W.G. Boyce, the Department of the Army announced today. The arrival will be announced by the San Francisco Port of Embarkation : Sgt. Clarence Roberts was killed in action in the Philippines in 1945. He had been in the Army since October 2, 1939, and was stationed in Hawaii when the Japs struck Pearl Harbor. He saw service in the Guadalcanal and Vella Lavella campaigns early in the war.
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According to Kenneth Jager who served with him "Slim" Brotherson was serving as a tank driver that day and was killed along with Sgt Clarence Roberts; Cpt John A. Keller; and PFC Roy Neary when their tank received a direct hit in a skirmish with a Japanese tank.
A PFC "Linley" was WIA and crew members Robert Toon and Floyd Sanner successfully backed the tank to safety and both were awarded the Silver Star.

The photo below is of the M7 Tank (click to enlarge) Robert Toon is standing in front of tank. Photo supplied by Brian Toon.

Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington
Arlington County
Virginia, USA
Plot: Sec: 12, Site: 4806