Clarence Washington Rice Jr. (1916 - 1943)

Born 6 Oct 1916 in Hartwell, Hart, Georgia, United States

Ancestors

Died 23 Jul 1943 at age 26 in Quarteira, Loulé, Faro, Portugal

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Biography

Captain Clarence Washington Rice, Jr., born 6 Oct 1916, was the son of Clarence W. "CW" and Louise (McMullan) Rice of Hartwell, Hart County, Georgia. Hartwell is in northeastern Georgia 106 miles northeast of Atlanta. In the 1920 census 4-year-old Clarence is living with his parents and siblings Joel 6 and Lamar 4 months on Hartwell Hailey Ferry Road in Smiths District, Hart County Georgia. His father is a general farmer In the 1930 census 14-year-old Clarence is living with his parents and siblings Joel 16, Lamar 11, and Martha 5, on McMullan Mill Road in the 1114th District of Hart County. His father is still farming. Clarence graduated from Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1936. Clarence's brother Joel died 23 Oct 1938 at age 25. In the 1940 census 24-year-old Clarence (listed as Washington C) is living at the YMCA in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a laboratory assistant for the State Highway Engineer. The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Georgia show Rice, Clarence W., Capt. from Hart County as DNB (Died Non-Battle). Clarence was killed when B-26 Marauder 41-35150 crashed 23 Jul 1943 off the southern coast of Portugal near Quarteira due to engine failure on a ferrying flight from St. Mawgan, England to Marrakech, Morocco in North Africa. Clarence was the navigator. From Portugal 1939-1945 dot org: A fire in one of the engines caused the emergency that brought the airplane down. It was a violent ditching and as the pilot got out, he saw a couple of yellow objects floating nearby, making him believe that all the crew members had been able to come out, so he swam in the direction of three fishing boats that were nearby. Only later he understood that the yellow objects were the kapok pillows and cushions from the seats. The bodies of the dead were recovered inside the sunken fuselage, four days later by local divers. The forensics showed that all three had died on impact having fatal head injuries. The dead were transported to Faro where the local priest called the entire population to have a dignifying funeral. Hundreds of persons appeared in the church, the Igreja da Misericórdia. Afterwards the bodies were taken to Lisbon and buried in the British Cemetery. The two survivors were taken to North Africa by boat on August 2, 1943. Louise Rice lost four out of five family members (all but Martha) within five years. Joel died in 1938 at age 25 Lamar died in 1940 at age 21 Clarence Sr died in 1942 at age 66 Clarence Jr died in 1943 at age 27 A cenotaph marker in memory of Clarence Jr was placed at Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery #2 in Hartwell, Hart County, Georgia.

Sources

• Military: "U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949"
  American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9170 #41862 (accessed 1 March 2024)
  Name: Clarence W Rice Jr; Gender: Male; Rank: Captain; Residence Place: South Carolina; Service Number: O-349717; Military Unit: 89th Ferry Squadron, 2nd Air Transport Group; Military Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces; War: World War II; Death Date: 23 Jul 1943; Cemetery Plot Number: G; Cemetery Row: 17; Cemetery Section: Grave: 27; Cemetery: Lorraine; Burial Place: St Avold, France; Next of Kin: Mrs Clarence W Rice Sr.

• Burial, Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56659984/clarence-washington-rice : accessed 27 December 2021), memorial page for CPT Clarence Washington Rice Jr. (6 Oct 1916–23 Jul 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56659984, citing Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France ; Maintained by J. Colin Clark (contributor 47094715) .