Percy William Clarkson (December 9, 1893 - September 14, 1962) was a highly decorated officer in United States Army with the rank of Major General. Clarkson is most noted as commander of the 33rd Infantry Division from 1943 to 1945 during its World War II involvement in the United States armed forces' reconquest of the Philippines.[1][2]
Following the War, Clarkson assumed command of X Corps and held that assignment during the Occupation of Japan. He later held various assignments including Command of 3rd Infantry Division or Deputy Commander, United States Army Pacific. Within the later assignment he also held additional duty as Commander of the Joint Task Force 132 during 1952 Eniwetok Atomic bomb tests and as Commander of Joint Task Force 7, which consisted of Army-Navy-Air Force group running Hydrogen bomb tests in Pacific.[1][2]
Early career
Percy W. Clarkson was born on December 9, 1893, in San Antonio, Texas as the son of William Banton Clarkson and Alice Ann Peaples. His parents were imigrants from Liverpool, England and his father worked as Cotton broker in order to provide for Percy and his four siblings. His older brother Herbert also served in the Army and reached the rank of Brigadier general during World War II. Young Percy completed the high school in Houston and enrolled the Texas A&M College in College Station, Texas in summer 1911. While at the university, Clarkson was active in the football; served as the vice-president of the San Antonio Club and reached the rank of Second lieutenant in the Corps of Cadets.[1][3][4]
Upon completion of his training in March 1917, he joined the 19th Infantry Regiment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Clarkson served for two months as Platoon leader in Company "E" before being transferred to the headquarters company of 26th Infantry Regiment in May that year. Following the United States' entry into World War I and forming of 1st Division in June 1917, the 26th Infantry was assigned to the Division and Clarkson was transferred to the Machine Gun Company of his regiment and promoted to first lieutenant.
He embarked with the division to France in early 1918 and upon its arrival the regiment immediately left for the frontlines. Clarkson took part in the defense of Ansauville sector in northeastern France in February and March 1918, but was wounded in action by the end of month and evacuated to the rear. Following his recovery, Clarkson was promoted to captain and transferred to the General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces in Paris, France. While there, he served as Secretary of G-1 (Personnel and Administration) section for the rest of war and took part as an observer during the fighting on Aisne-Marne and Meuse–Argonne. For his service during the war, Clarkson was decorated with Ordre des Palmes académiques by the government of France.[5]
Interwar period
Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, Clarkson rejoined 26th Infantry Regiment and accompanied him during its occupation of the Rhineland, Germany. He returned to the United States by the end of July 1919 and was assigned to the Operations Division (G-3) of the War Department General Staff in Washington, D.C. remaining there until the end of year. Clarkson was subsequently transferred to the Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia for duty as an instructor of tactics. He was transferred to the Department of Experiment of the Army Infantry School in July 1920 and served in that capacity for a year.
In September 1921, Clarkson was ordered to the Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey for an instruction and upon its completion in June 1922, he remained there as an Instructor until August 1923, compiling training manuals. He was subsequently ordered back to the Army Infantry School at Fort Benning for Company Officers' Course, which he completed in June 1924. Clarkson was then ordered to Washington, D.C. where he joined the Office of the Chief of Infantry under Major general Robert H. Allen. He served in the Enlisted Man Department and became its commander on January 1, 1926.[6]
Following the completion of all studies, Clarkson returned to the Field Infantry service and joined the headquarters of 23rd Infantry Regiment at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The regiment was a part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade under Brigadier general Alexander T. Ovenshine who had commanded 23rd Infantry before. Ovenshine appointed Clarkson to his staff and he served as an Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) until March 1937.[7]
Clarkson was then appointed an Assistant to Inspector of Eighth Corps Area (also located at Fort Sam Houston) abd served under Colonel Charles P. George Jr. for next three years. While in that capcaity, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1938. In June 1940, Clarkson was transferred to Washington, D.C. and assigned to the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff fo G-1 (Administration), War Department General Staff where he served under Brigadier general Wade H. Haislip as Chief of the Officers' Branch. He was promoted to Colonel in mid-October 1941.[5]
He assumed duty as Assistant Division Commander under Major general Charles H. Gerhardt and participated in the division's initial organization and training until November that year, when he was promoted to the temporary rank of Major general. He was subsequently tasked with the activation of 87th Infantry Division at Camp McCain, Mississippi and held that command until October 1943.[2]
Clarkson was finally ordered for combat command in early November 1943, when he assumed command of 33rd Infantry Division located in Hawaii. His division was guarding installations and conducting training in jungle warfare there until late April 1944 when began embarking for New Guinea for additional jungle training. After its arrival, the division was stationed near Finschhafen and beside training, it was occupied with the unloading of allied cargo ships in order to lighten up naval traffic jam at Naval Base Finschhafen. Clarkson's command qualities were recognized by his superiors with Legion of Merit which he received in May 1944.[8][9]
In late August 1944, Clarkson received orders to send a regimental combat team (RCT) built around 123rd Infantry Regiment to Maffin Bay, Papua in order to insure operation of Wakde Airdrome and to maintain its security. He chose his deputy, Brigadier general Donald J. Myers to led the task force which met occasional enemy resistance consisted of snipers, machine gun nests and enemy patrols. The RCT remained at Maffin Bay until the end of January 1945.[9]
By the mid of December, Clarkson received orders to move the rest of the division to Morotai, an island in the Dutch East Indies where a naval base with the airfield was constructed for upcoming liberation of the Philippines. The Japanese 211th Infantry Regiment in the west of the island had consolidated his forces in order to counterattack U.S. forces, which had seized the island in mid-October. Clarkson ordered his division's 136th Infantry Regiment supported by a battalion from 130th Infantry Regiment to attack the Japanese who meanwhile fortified around the Hill 40 mountain area in the dense jungle. Clarkson was also able to deploy divisional artillery battalions on the nearby islands of Ngelengele and Tilai and recon troops north of Hill 40.[9]
The fighting lasted for 20 days and ended on January 14, 1945, with 870 Japanese soldiers killed and ten captured, for a loss of 46 killed and 127 wounded and injured.[9]
Philippines
Clarkson promotes Sgt. Harry K. Fukuhara (translator) during Philippines Campaign in summer 1945.
After a week of rest at Morotai, Clarkson received orders to prepare his division for transport for Luzon in the Philippines. He led his division ashore on February 10, 1945, as the part of I Corps under Sixth United States Army and was tasked with the securing of terrain in the Demortis-Rosario-Pozorrubio area. The 33rd Division under Clarkson's command subsequently relieved 43rd Infantry Division and advanced to the Bench Mark and Question Mark hills in the Caraballo Mountains. Japanese created a first line of defense there with a dense covering of machine gun nests which caused heavy casualties.[9]
Clarkson received a first-hand report from his deputy, general Myers, who described the critical situation, casualties and need of water. Clarkson then send another battalion as reinforcements and formed a 100-man carrying party from divisional engineer battalion to deliver the water to the units in the forward area. The engineers made no attempt to conceal its disgust at being assigned such a menial chore and protested this order. Detecting this discordant note, he grouped the engineers around him and discussed the importance of the situation. Clarkson then ordered the 33rd Division's artillery to fire on enemy's positions with following infantry companies assault. The Japanese positions were finally captured after four days of fighting with 460 enemy soldiers killed in contrast to 35 killed and 82 wounded on U.S. side.[9]
The 33rd Division then advanced on Baguio, a summer capital of the Philippines and the headquarters of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, governor-general and military governor of the Philippines. Before the attack on Baguio, Clarkson led his division in the bitter three-month fighting to take Pugo, Mount Calugong, bridges in Bauang and finally Hill 24-A atop Mount Mirador dominating Baguio. His division entered Baguio on April 22, 1945, from four directions and immediately encountered heavy resistance but retreating Japanese forces blow up all bridges so it was impossible for 33rd Division armor, artillery and supply trains to properly support ground forces engaging Japanese.[9][10]
After a week of heavy fighting, Clarkson declared the city secured with over 2,000 Japanese killed. The 33rd Division then took Camp John Hay and after mopping up the area, it moved on to break the San Nicholas-Tebbo-Itogon route. During the liberation of Baguio, Manuel Roxas a former aide to General Douglas MacArthur was liberated. Clarkson and his division then operated a long-range combat patrols around Daklan Airfield in the Northern Luzon in a systematic search for stragglers who had evaded the American forces before continued in the fighting in rugged terrain to take Pugo, Mount Calugong and finally Hill 24-A atop Mount Mirador dominating Baguio.[9]
A month later, Clarkson and his division were tasked to restore civil administration in Baguio while other parts of the division were still engaging Japanese in the area of San Nicholas-Tebbo-Itogon route. The city with population of 30 000 was bombed out and almost destroyed. Clarkson appointed civil affairs administrator from his division staff who organized the construction of huge tent camps for homeless citizens; established military hospitals for civilians in order to stop spreading of diseases, and provided them Army field rations. Divisional engineers repaired water purification plants and employment offices were established where Filipinos could apply for work on road construction, building of tent camps or as carriers of material for the Army. For his service in the Philippines, Clarkson was decorated with Distinguished Service Medal.[11][9]
In late June 1945, Clarkson received orders to move his division to the beaches in the Caba-Aringay-Bauang area, set up camps and commence amphibious training for the planned Invasion of Japan. However the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, prevented the invasion to be executed. He led 33rd Division to Honshū, Japan for occupation duty in late September, but was promoted to the command of X Corps in mid-November 1945.[12][9]
In March 1947, Clarkson was transferred to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he assumed command of 3rd Infantry Division. He later moved his headquarters to Fort Benning, Georgia and supervised the training of his division in the months before the outbreak of the Korean War. Clarkson did not lead his division to the combat in Korea and received orders for transfer to Hawaii in August 1950.[5]
Clarkson then assumed duty as Deputy Commander, United States Army Pacific with headquarters at Fort Shafter. He served consecutively under lieutenant general Henry Aurand and John W. O'Daniel and served additional duty as commander of the Joint Task Force 132 during 1952 Eniwetok Atomic bomb tests. Clarkson's additional duty were later redesignated and he became Commander of Joint Task Force 7, which consisted of Army-Navy-Air Force group running Hydrogen bomb tests in Pacific. He served in Hawaii until July 31, 1954, when he retired from active duty after 38 years of service. Clarkson received his third Distinguished Service Medal for his service during the Atomic bomb tests.[11][14][12]
Retirement
Following his retirement from the Army, Clarkson and his wife settled in San Antonio, Texas where he assumed job as chairman of the Board of Fort Sam Houston National Bank. He was also a member of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and served on the boards of trustees of San Antonio Medical Foundation or Symphony Society of San Antonio. Clarkson was active in the 33rd Division Veterans Association where he was admired by his fellow officers. Among the officers who attended the reunion in December 1961 to pay tribute to him were: General Walter Krueger, former Commander Sixth Army; Brigadier general Andrew T. McAnsh, former 33rd Division Chief of Staff; Major general John S. Gleason Jr., former 33rd Division Ordnance officer; Colonel Jacob Arvey, former Judge-advocate of 33rd Division; or Brigadier general Frank S. Singer, former 33rd Division Personnel Officer.[16][14]
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