Charley Green Clayton Jr.'s Obituary
Charley Clayton of Longview passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 10, 2023.
He was 102 years old. He was born in Era, Texas near Gainesville on October 25, 1920. He was the third son of five born to C. G. Clayton, Sr., and Sally Eunice Ward Clayton. He lived and worked on his dad’s farm northeast of Muenster for eighteen years. He was working with his brothers at the Clayton Brothers Garage when he caught his first glimpse at Arva, his life-long love, walking by. They fell in love and started dating soon after that first sight. He joined the service at the age of 21 on August 19, 1942, and became a member of the Army Air Corps. He served for 3& ½ years before being discharged at Mineral Wells, Texas on December 7, 1945.
He was classified as a private with the Medium Maintenance upon entry but was quickly promoted before going overseas. He eventually attained the designation of Sergeant Technician 4th Grade by the end of the war. He was a part of the Mediterranean Allied Forces. He received many decorations including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star for additional service, the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Sharpshooter’s Medal Pin for shooting an M-1 Carbine rifle. He also received an Honorable Service lapel button.
He went home on a seven-day pass while training in Salt Lake City, Utah, and married Arva Lea Bishop on April 2, 1943. He also trained in the Mojave Desert, Pelton Field, Oregon, and Lansing, Michigan. He left from New York City on May 13, 1943, on a repurposed ocean liner, the USS West Point, for his first assignment in Casablanca. There were 10,000 soldiers on the ship and the trip took seven days. He convoyed through the desert to Oran where he was stationed for a year. He later served in Corsica and Leghorn, Italy. He was a mechanic where he rebuilt trucks and jeeps gathered up from those wrecked on the frontlines. He was tole to pick one up from the junkyard of destroyed vehicles and “do what it takes to make it go.”
Attached to his company was a munitions disposal company. They did a lot of skeet shooting to get rid of the ammunition surplus near the end of the war. He was never shot during the war, and he gives thanks to the Lord for his preservation. He returned on a Liberty ship which was much smaller and took 14 days to cross the ocean. He arrived at Camp Patrick Henry in Virginia and rode a train to Mineral Wells where he was discharged.
He returned to his bride, Arva, and settled in Saint Jo, Texas where he became an oil field pumper. He worked his way up to a senior position at General American Oil over a long career in the oil and gas industry. He and Arva eventually moved several times and finally settled in Longview. They had two children and were married 74 years.
Charley is survived by his daughter, Linda Haynie of Longview; four grandsons: Rich Haynie of Denver, Colorado, Charles Haynie and his wife Amy of Cincinnati, Ohio, Luke Haynie and wife Brittany of Littleton, Colorado, and Rory Haynie and his wife Erika, of McKinney, Texas. He has six great grandchildren: Jackson and Juliette Haynie of Denver, Colorado, Ella Haynie of Cincinnati, Ohio, Jetter and Tagger Haynie of Littleton, Colorado, and Harper Haynie of McKinney, Texas.
Charley will be buried at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery for Veterans and rest finally with Arva as she passed away six years before him. Service arrangements are being handled by Rader Funeral Home in Longview, Texas. There will be a public viewing on Wednesday, June 21st from 5-7 PM at Rader. The burial will be on Friday, June 23rd at 11 AM in Dallas. Everyone attending should be at the entrance gate at 10:15 Am to get in line in their car before entering the cemetery together. A memorial guestbook may be signed at www.raderfh.com.
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