Clifford B. Drake

Clifford Barnes Drake (November 7, 1918 – October 25, 1994) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He served as an artillery officer during World War II and later took part in the Vietnam War as deputy commander of XXIV Corps.

Early career and World War II

Clifford B. Drake was born on November 7, 1918, in New York City, but his family moved to Los Angeles, California, where he attended high school in 1935 and then the University of California (UCLA), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics in June 1940. While at UCLA, he was a member of a Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Reserve Corps.

The damaged and partially flooded California settled into the mud with only her superstructure remaining above the surface. Drake was subsequently transferred to 3rd Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Pepper and continued in the defense of Pearl Harbor. He showed great organizational skills and was promptly promoted to the rank of first lieutenant following the attack.

Drake was then attached to the Marine detachment aboard the transport ship USS Argonne for a brief period, before he was posted to the staff of Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, Commander, South Pacific Area. While in this capacity, Drake was promoted to the rank of captain in May 1942 and also served in this command under Admiral William Halsey during the Solomon Islands campaign.

Following the capture of Saipan, the 4th Marine Division was ordered to take part in the landing on near Tinian on July 24. The 1st Battalion was the first artillery unit ashore and immediately commenced a barrage of gunfire. During the morning of the following day, Japanese artillery hit the command post of the 1st Battalion and almost wiped out the unit's command structure, including its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Harry J. Zimmer.

Drake took charge and supervised the evacuation of wounded and dead. He reestablished the battalion's command post and continued in its mission, providing artillery support to the 25th Marine Regiment. He led the battalion until the end of hostilities on August 1 and subsequently returned to Maui, Hawaii during the first week of August. For his actions on 25 July, when the battalion's command post was shelled, Drake received the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and Navy Presidential Unit Citation.

Drake went ashore with his battalion in the evening on February 19, 1945, and immediately deployed his howitzers. which began firing the same evening during the advance of the 25th Marines. Drake was later decorated with the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for his service on Iwo Jima.

In June 1969, Drake was relieved by Major General Edwin B. Wheeler and returned to the United States, where he assumed duties as assistant chief of staff for operations at Headquarters Marine Corps. He served in that capacity until October 1972, when he retired from the Marine Corps after 32 years of active service. During his retirement ceremony, Drake received his third Legion of Merit.

Retirement

Drake settled in Alexandria, Virginia, where he lived with his wife Margery Forbes Jones. The couple had two children: Christopher, born in 1950, and Carolyn, born in 1951. He died on October 25, 1994, in Seminole, Florida.

Awards and decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of General Drake: