Officer "Shorty" Clausen standing in front of a building

Gift in Memory of Capt. Hugh J. Ward, 81st Inf. Div.
Description: 

Photograph. Officer "Shorty Clausen standing in front of a building. Two different personal captions on reverse: "Looks good, doesn't he?" and "Shorty Clausen the kid who saved my neck." Location unknown. No date

Image Information

Accession Number: 
Date: 
1942
1943
Location: 
Hometown: 
Branch: 
Theater of Service: 
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POW / KIA: 
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Collection Level: 
Items from the service of Captain Hugh Ward, who served with the 321st Infantry Regiment, 81st Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater. Hugh Joseph Ward Jr. was born on 18 May 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. On 17 December 1940, Ward enlisted in the United States Army with three of his friends. He was assigned to Company C of the 131st Infantry Regiment at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. In 1941, Ward’s unit was appointed Honor Guard for the 2nd Army Headquarters. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Ward trained with the 81st Infantry Division after it was reactivated in June 1942. The unit shipped out to Hawaii in June 1944 and then to Guadalcanal in August, where they were attached to the III Marine Amphibious Corps. The 321st Infantry Regiment departed for Angaur in September and remained there for the entirety of the Battle of Angaur. The entire 81st Infantry engaged in the Battle of Peleliu and remained on the island until January 1945. They island hoped to New Caledonia and Leyte Island and settled in the Aomori Prefecture of Japan after victory was declared. During this time, Ward was the American aide to Canadian Brigadier David Roy Sargent. The 81st Infantry remained in Japan until January 1946. Ward returned to the United States and eventually settled in Claremont, California, where he remained until his death on 14 December 1992. The collection includes photographs, newsletters, a poster, and military documents.
Geography: 
United States
Latitude: 
38.000
Longitude: 
-98.000