DAVID K. CLAUDE, LTCOL, USMC
David Claude '24
David Kerr Claude was admitted to the Naval Academy from Illinois on August 4, 1920 at age 17 years 5 months.
He resigned on February 16, 1923.
Lucky Bag
On the "Parted Links" page:
D. K. CLAUDE, Maryland
Dave likes the "Gyrene" life he is leading in San Domingo, but he's a damn good fellow for the Navy to send into the Marine Corps.
Loss
David was killed in action against the Japanese on November 22, 1943 during the Battle of Tarawa. He was temporarily attached to the 2nd Marine Division as a Senior Observer; he was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, which was training in California at the time. He took command of the Battalion in January 1943 and was referenced as "everyone's favorite Battalion commander" in this history.
His wife was listed as next of kin. John is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery.
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel David Kerr Claude (MCSN: 0-3963), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as military observer attached to the SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces on Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, November 20-22, 1943. Constantly subjected to a devastating barrage of enemy rifle and machine gun fire while proceeding to the beach in a landing boat, Lieutenant Colonel Claude sighted a number of seriously wounded men in danger of drowning. Unhesitatingly exposing himself to the direct line of hostile fire, he valiantly plunged into the treacherous waters, repeatedly swimming distances of from 30 to 75 yards in order to bring the man back to his own boat from which they were transferred to other craft for medical attention. Finally gaining the beachhead after successfully completing his perilous act, Lieutenant Colonel Claude gathered information vital to subsequent operations before he was killed by enemy fire while proceeding on an important mission to a forward command post. His splendid initiative, great personal valor and unrelenting devotion to duty in the face of grave peril directly contributed to the saving of many lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
General Orders: CITATION:
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Division: 2d Marine Division
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
March 1925
2nd Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia
May 1925
2nd Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia
July 1925
2nd Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia
October 1925
2nd Lieutenant, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 1926
2nd Lieutenant, Post & Staff, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
October 1926
2nd Lieutenant, Expeditionary Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at or embarked at this command:
January 1927
2nd Lieutenant, Expeditionary Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at this command:
April 1927
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
Others at this command:
October 1927
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
January 1928
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
April 1928
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at this command:
July 1928
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at this command:
October 1928
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at this command:
January 1929
2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Marine Brigade, Nicaragua
Others at or embarked at this command:
April 1929
2nd Lieutenant, USS Wyoming
Others at this command:
July 1929
2nd Lieutenant, USS Wyoming
Others at this command:
October 1929
2nd Lieutenant, USS Wyoming
Others at this command:
January 1930
2nd Lieutenant, USS Wyoming
Others at this command:
April 1930
2nd Lieutenant, USS Wyoming
Others at this command:
October 1930
1st Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
January 1931
1st Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
April 1931
1st Lieutenant, Marine Barracks, Naval Academy
Others at this command:
July 1931
1st Lieutenant, Marine Detachment, Camp Rapidan, Criglersville, Virginia
October 1931
1st Lieutenant, staff, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at this command:
January 1932
1st Lieutenant, Expeditionary Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
April 1932
1st Lieutenant, Expeditionary Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
October 1932
1st Lieutenant, Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
January 1933
1st Lieutenant, Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
July 1933
1st Lieutenant, USS Utah
October 1933
1st Lieutenant, USS Utah
April 1934
1st Lieutenant, USS Utah
Others at this command:
July 1934
1st Lieutenant, USS Idaho
Others at this command:
October 1934
1st Lieutenant, USS Idaho
Others at this command:
January 1935
1st Lieutenant, USS Idaho
Others at this command:
April 1935
1st Lieutenant, staff, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at or embarked at this command:
CAPT Ronald Boone '20 (Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia)
CAPT Ralph Forsyth '22 (Fleet Marine Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia)
1LT John Heil '28 (Fleet Marine Force, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia)
October 1935
1st Lieutenant, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
January 1936
1st Lieutenant, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
April 1936
Captain, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
July 1936
Captain, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
January 1937
Captain, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
ENS Graham Bright '35 (Naval Finance & Supply School)
April 1937
Captain, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at this command:
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
LTjg Dudley Morton '30 (Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
ENS George Fuller '35 (Naval Finance & Supply School)
September 1937
Captain, Army Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Georgia
Others at this command:
January 1938
Captain, Army Infantry School, Ft. Benning, Georgia
Others at this command:
July 1938
Captain, for assignment, 6th Marines, Marine Base San Diego, California
January 1939
Captain, Company A commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, Marine Base San Diego, California
Others at this command:
October 1939
Captain, Headquarters Company, 6th Marines, Marine Base San Diego, California
Others at or embarked at this command:
June 1940
Captain, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
November 1940
Major, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
April 1941
Major, staff, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Others at this command:
Class of 1924
David is one of 42 members of the Class of 1924 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
