Gregory Charles Clement

	Company L-1 Gregory Charles Clement, Jr. Cullum No. 22932
Class Officers Reunion Photos Fallen Classmates Ninninger Hall Mail Classmates West Point AOG	Died 23 February 1969 in Vietnam Aged 28 years Interment: Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery, San Antonio, TX GREGORY CHARLES CLEMENT, JR., died in Viet Nam while serving as an advisor to a company of Vietnamese irregular troops. During an attempt to take a well-fortified Viet Cong hamlet, his company was pinned down by hostile fire. When the company withdrew, three seriously wounded Vietnamese soldiers were left lying in an open field. Twice, Greg then ran 150-meters across an open field under heavy fire to rescue two of the men. On his attempt to rescue the third soldier, he was mortally wounded. For his heroic efforts to save the Vietnamese soldiers, Greg received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Vietnamese National Order Medal, Fifth Class. This heroic action speaks volumes about Greg, one of the most courageous and humane persons to ever attend West Point. I am sure there was not a second of hesitation in his rescue effort, and there is no doubt that Greg’s actions in everything he did in his short life were influenced by his strong Christian faith. I was his roommate, teammate, and friend. Truly, there was no one for whom I had more respect. Greg was born in San Antonio, lived in Victoria, TX, and came to West Point from Kirwin High School in Galveston. His activities in high school included football, swimming, and oratory. Active in the Boy Scouts, he achieved Eagle Scout status. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Parish. John Payne, S.J., a boyhood friend who later became a priest, remained a close friend and was a strong influence on Greg. His ability to get along with everyone immediately made Greg a popular classmate upon his arrival at West Point. Still, beneath his kind-hearted nature was a very competitive spirit. That trait was evident on the football field, where he played three years on the 150-lb. football team, lettering the last two years. Intramural and extracurricular sports also played an important part in his cadet life. Among many other athletic endeavors, he was president of the Handball Club and coached the company wrestling team during First Class year. Our class well remembers we were the last class assigned to companies by height. We often found that we were competing against much larger classmates in the intramural arena. None of our classmates will ever forget Greg’s short, but victorious, fight during First Class year with one of the “flankers” who unfairly used his size and height on one of our companymates. Throughout his West Point career, however, Greg maintained an even balance between his competitive spirit and his respect for his fellow cadets. While athletics were important, he did not ignore academics. Ranking easily in the top half of the class, Greg worked diligently at his studies. During various times in his cadet career, he also was a member of the Catholic Acolytes, Newman Club, Debate Council and Forum, French Club, and Hi-Fi Club. Indeed, he was a person of diversified interests. Upon graduation, Greg’s chosen branch was the Artillery. After graduating from the Artillery and Missile School at Ft. Sill, he completed Airborne and Ranger training. An assignment to the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell followed, where he served as an aide to LTG Patrick Cassidy. Greg met Jean Foxhall during his tour at Ft. Sill, and the two married in June 1962. They became the parents of two exceptional children—Kathleen, born in August 1963 and John Gregory, born in September 1965. Greg’s next assignment was to Korea for 13 months, followed by a return to the Artillery School for advanced training. In 1965, he and Jean moved to Ft. Hood before he received orders to Viet Nam in 1966. Life has never been more unfair than when it deprived Jean, Kathleen, and John of the experience of a life with Greg, who was without equal as a loving husband and father. Kathleen Clement Carter Ryder now has a husband, Bill, and a baby girl. John Gregory Clement Carter has a wife, Ann, is a healthcare administrator, and has two children. Jean retired recently from a successful real estate career and is married to Don Koons,a retired judge. Greg is interred in San Antonio in the military cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston, gravesite V-1619, for classmates and friends wanting to pay their respects. An athletic field at Ft. Hood is named in his honor, with a portion of the dedication reading, “The dedication and continued use of this field serves as a lasting inspiration and example for all of the outstanding duty, devotion, and ability of this distinguished soldier.” Never have the words “Duty, Honor, Country” applied to the life of one of West Point’s graduates more than they do to the life of Greg Clement. He is a credit to his family, his alma mater, and the country he served. The members of the Class of ’60 are proud to have had the privilege of sharing a portion of our lives with Greg. John Young ’60