Please complete the following form with the words of encouragement you would like to share with the class of 2020!

The Clemson University ROTC program would like to keep you connected to the program whether you participated in the program as a student or if you served in the military post your academic career. Please complete the form below so we can keep you connected to Clemson and its military heritage.

The Clemson Alumni Association, IPTAY and the Clemson Forever Fund are hitting the road for the ‘Tigers on Tour’ in California, August 9 – 12. We invite you to come out and see us at on

e of our stops along the way from 6-8pm each evening:

Friday, August 9: San Francisco | @ The Boardroom

Sunday, August 11: Los Angeles | @ The Parlor

Monday, August 12: San Diego | @ Union Kitchen & Tap – Gaslamp

Join your Clemson Family for appetizers (on us!!), drinks, and to enjoy Clemson fellowship while hearing updates and learning how you can stay engaged with the University, Clemson athletics and your local Clemson Club. Come on out and hear how alumni and Clemson friends like you can make a difference. Click the locations above to register for each event. 

About ‘TIGERS ON TOUR:’

From New York City to California and places in-between, we are taking the #TigersOnTour this year to tell you about what is going on at Clemson and how YOU can make an impact. Supporting Clemson is important and your participation matters!

We’re excited to CU soon! Go Tigers!

“An All-Round-Fellow”

At least three Clemson men were on board the ship when it set sail from Southampton, England on the morning of Christmas Eve 1944.  The ship was the Léopoldville, a Belgian transport that had made twenty-four Channel crossings and had already carried 120,000 Allied soldiers to France.  On this particular voyage, Léopoldville was transporting two regiments of the American 66^th Infantry Division plus a number of British soldiers.  None of them  would forget this Christmas Eve.

One of those on board Léopoldville as the last light faded from the winter sky was Second Lieutenant John Duncan McArthur, Jr. of Anderson, Clemson Class of 1944.  McArthur and his division had arrived in England only a month earlier and were now being hurried to France to reinforce Allied lines in response to the Germans’ winter offensive that would come to be known as the Battle of the Bulge.

McArthur, son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. McArthur, Sr. of East River Street in Anderson, had graduated from Boys High School and enrolled in Clemson College in 1940.  He had participated in extracurricular activities in high school and continued those pursuits on campus.  A textile chemistry major, Johnny demonstrated leadership abilities early on.  He was a member of Tiger Brotherhood, the Anderson County Club, the Pershing Rifles, the YMCA Cabinet and Phi Si, the textile honorary fraternity.  He was also a member of the swimming team.

McArthur was assigned to Company D-2 in what was at the time the largest infantry ROTC cadet corps in the nation.  By the time he began his junior year, Johnny was the cadet first sergeant of D-2.  He would have expected to attend ROTC summer training at the end of the school year and then serve as a cadet officer as a senior, but the War Department had other plans.  By this time of course, the war was raging around the globe and Clemson men were serving in every theater.  The demand for manpower—and especially for young leaders—was increasing rapidly as America continued the mobilization of manpower and industry.  During the spring semester of 1943, the War Department announced that seniors would go directly into service following their graduations.  McArthur and his classmates would forego their senior years on campus and go directly into basic training following the end of spring classes.  Those showing aptitude would have the opportunity to advance to Officer Candidate School.

McArthur was, not surprisingly given his record as a cadet, one of those selected for officer training.  He was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for OCS and, following its successful completion, was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 66^th Infantry Division, the Black Panthers, then training at Camp Rucker, Alabama.   On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 26, 1944, McArthur’s regiment landed in Dorchester, England.  Their pre-combat training was cut short by the Battle of the Bulge and the division was rushed to Southampton for its Christmas Eve crossing of the English Channel.

Léopoldville was just five miles from its destination, the French port of Cherbourg, when at 1754 hours, despite an escort composed of one French and three British warships, it was struck by a torpedo fired from a German U-boat.  In the December darkness, Léopoldville began to sink.  Neither the captain, who spoke Flemish, or his crew, most of whom came from the Belgian Congo, spoke English.  Radio communications between ship and shore were also hampered by different frequencies.  As a result, most of the men on board ended up in the frigid waters, struggling to survive until they could be rescued.

One of those in the water as the evening turned to night was Second Lieutenant McArthur.  According to a newspaper report, McArthur, the Clemson swimming letterman, paddled among the survivors of the sinking ship helping those who were wounded or who could not swim.  Seven hundred sixty-two men were killed, including Clemson alumni William Ingram Lawrence and James Lee Loftis both of the Class of 1946, in the sinking of Léopoldville making it the second deadliest troop ship disaster in the European war.

Once they finally reached French shores and, on December 29 relieved the 94^th Infantry Division, McArthur and the 66^th were assigned to destroy by-passed pockets of German troops still remaining in northern France.  Over the next two months, the 66^th conducted limited attacks to gather intelligence and reduce the pockets of German resisters.  On February 20, 1945, just eleven weeks before V-E Day, McArthur was killed in Germany.

McArthur was survived by his parents and two sisters. He is interred at Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France.   In reporting the death of one of the city’s sons, the Anderson Independent  wrote “He was held in high esteem by all who knew him.  Johnny was known as an all-round fellow and he will be missed by all who were fortunate in claiming him as a friend.”

For more information on John Duncan McArthur, Jr. see:

https://soh.alumni.clemson.edu/scroll/john-duncan-mcarthur-jr/

For additional information on Clemson University’s Scroll of Honor visit:

https://soh.alumni.clemson.edu/

Join us for the ONE Clemson Legends Party 2019 before the National Championship! Doors will open at 9:00pm. Guests will be greeted with a red carpet reception on which Clemson fans and alumni will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Clemson Legends!

Where: The Glasshouse
2 South Market Street
San Jose, CA

Here are some of the Legends you will meet:

Patrick Sapp

Brentson Buckner

Tajh Boyd

Dexter McCleon

Andre Branch

CJ Spiller

Kris Benson

Lou Richie

Jim Bundren

Jacoby Ford

Grady Jarrett

Chansi Stuckey

Vic Beasley

Jock Mckissic

Mackensie Alexander

Jarvis Jenkins

Mike Williams

Marcus Edmonds

Son of Two Institutions   

In the spring of 1944, as Europe was holding its breath in anticipation of the long-awaited Allied Invasion, an invasion of smaller scale was taking shape in the southwest Pacific.  General Douglas MacArthur, seeking to make good on his pledge to return to the Philippines, had his eyes on Biak Island.  Biak dominated the entrance to Geelvink Bay at the western end of New Guinea and was some 850 miles north-northeast of Darwin, Australia.  The island was garrisoned by 11,000 Japanese troops under the command of Colonel Kuzume Naoyuki.

New Guinea had been in the news since shortly after Pearl Harbor.  In January 1942, the Japanese had attacked and captured Australian-administered territory in eastern New Guinea.  In March, the Japanese overran the western portion of the island which had been part of the Netherlands East Indies.  By the time Frank Barnes, Jr. graduated with the Class of 1942, he likely would have been familiar with this jungle island on the other side of the world.  Before he completed his Army training, US forces would be locked in a death struggle with Japanese defenders in eastern New Guinea.

Francis Stafford Barnes, Jr. of Greenville enrolled at Clemson College in 1938 to study architecture.  He attended Clemson only for his freshman year, then transferred to the University of South Carolina.  At USC, he excelled academically, graduating as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

With the country at war, Frank Barnes headed to Fort Benning, Georgia for infantry officer training.  He was next assigned to Camp Blanding, Florida and then Camp Roberts, California. In late 1943, he shipped overseas.  By the spring of 1944, Barnes was assigned to K Company of the 162^nd Infantry Regiment, 41^st Infantry Division.

D-Day for the Biak invasion was May 27, 1944.  At 0900, American forces began landing on the island.  A tank battle developed between Japanese Ha Go Type 95 machines with their 37 mm canons and US Sherman tanks mounting a larger 75 mm gun.  Following the tanks, infantrymen of K Company targeted their Japanese counterparts.  During the battle, K Company was forced at one point to yield ground it had already fought over.  K Company soldier Charles Brockman recalled that a daring six-man patrol led by Tech Sergeant Rex Smith made its way some 200 yards back into ground the company had given up during the attack.  Smith and his men recovered weapons, equipment and the body of Second Lieutenant Barnes.

Brockman remembered that K Company “probably had our longest casualty list of World War II” that day. Seven members of the company were killed and twenty-one were wounded.

Second Lieutenant Francis Stafford Barnes, Jr. was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.  He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis S. Barnes of Greenville.

Frank Barnes was an alumnus of both Clemson and Carolina and an American hero.  He is poignant example of the ties that bind us together.

For more information about Francis Stafford Barnes, Jr. see:

For additional information about Clemson’s Scroll of Honor, visit:

A Victory of Sorts

Robert Vines Bruce attended Clemson College during the 1941-42 academic year, having already graduated from Boys’ High School and Anderson College in his hometown of Anderson.  He was pursuing a pre-medicine course of study, intending to follow in the footsteps of his father, older brother and sister, each of whom was a doctor.

Bruce was called to active duty in March 1942 and was commissioned after Air Corps training.  Bruce completed bombardier training and, in August 1943, shipped overseas.  He was assigned to the 427^th Bomb Squadron of the 303^rd Bomb Group stationed at Molesworth, England.

The 303^rd had arrived at Molesworth in Cambridgeshire north of London in November of the previous year, while Bruce was still in training.  Beginning that month, the Group would go on to fly 364 missions, more than any other Eighth Air Force B-17 Group during World War II.

Bruce arrived in England during a period in which historian Donald Miller writes “casualties began to rise alarmingly.”  The Eighth Air Force’s losses meant that newly arriving airmen and aircraft were being used “as replacements for decimated groups” rather than forming the basis of new combat formations.¹

On October 9, 1943, Bruce’s crew, led by pilot Second Lieutenant Bernard Clifford, was alerted for a mission deep into Germany.  On what was a busy day for the Eighth Air Force at that point in the war, 378 heavy bombers were dispatched to bomb four targets, two in Germany and two in Poland.  Bruce’s aircraft was part of a one hundred fifteen

A B-17 of the 303rd Bomb Group in formation

plane force targeting the Arado Flugzeugwerke at Anklam on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast.  The factory produced wings and tail sections for Germany’s FW-190 fighters, the very aircraft that would soon figure so prominently in the fate of Bruce and his crew.

The bomber crews were awakened in time to breakfast at 0320 hours.  The early start was necessary to be able to make the 1,190 nautical mile trip during the daylight hours of the shortening autumn day.  The 303^rd was the lead group flying at a relatively low formation of 13,000 feet.  It was the fourth combat mission for Bruce and the rest of the crew.

The heavy bombers delivered their payloads, dropping high explosive and incendiary bombs on the aircraft factory and then turned back toward England.

Around midday, Bruce’s aircraft was attacked by three FW-190 fighters flying three abreast.  Rounds from the fighters’ 20 mm cannons hit the B-17, nicknamed “Son.”  With its number three engine on fire and its propeller feathered, “Son” lost contact with the bomber formation at an altitude of 8,000 feet.  It had lowered its landing gear, a signal to its attackers that it was no longer able to fight.  At this sign, the German fighters withdrew.

But, the damage was done.  The big bomber sank lower and lower, the frigid waters of the Baltic Sea coming closer and closer.  The B-17 crashed into the sea at approximately 1220 hours near Lolland, Denmark.  All ten members of the crew were killed.

Over a month later, on November 13, Bruce’s body was found on the beach at Dazendorfer Strand in Holstein, Germany.  He was laid to rest in Heiligenhafen Cemetery two days later.  After the war, Bruce’s remains were reinterred in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium.  Bruce was awarded the Purple Heart.  He was survived by his mother, his brother and six sisters.

Strike photos hint at the devastation afflicted at Anklam

The Arado plant and approximately 80% of the surrounding town were destroyed.  As a result, fabrication of parts for Focke-Wulf, Junkers and Messerschmitt aircraft were dispersed to other areas.  The mission for which Robert Vines Bruce and the other nine members of his crew had given their lives was considered a victory.

For more information about Second Lieutenant Robert Vines Bruce see:

https://cualumni.clemson.edu/page.aspx?pid=1818

For additional information on Clemson University’s Scroll of Honor visit: https://soh.alumni.clemson.edu/scroll-of-honor/

1. Donald L. Miller, Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought The Air War Against Nazi Germany, (New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2006), 167.

Prowl & Growl photos are now available. Please complete the form below to download your photo. Thank you for attending and Go Tigers!

The Officers of the Clemson Alumni Association are the President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past President. Each of these capacities carries with it a two-year term that commences on July 1, following the election of a President-Elect. As such, the cumulative commitment of service for an Officer is six years, from the commencement of duties as President-Elect to the completion of a term as Immediate Past President.

The duties of the officers of the Alumni Association are generally as follows:

1. President–The President is the presiding officer and chief ambassador of the Alumni Association, and serves as Chair for all meetings of the Association, Council, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee; appoints the standing committees and any special committees deemed appropriate; serves as a member of the Clemson Foundation Board; serves as a member of the IPTAY Board of Directors; appoints the Alumni Association’s representative to the Athletic Council; appoints at-large representatives to the Alumni Council; serves as an ex-officio member of all committees and each Clemson Club and Alumni Constituency group; performs all duties and responsibilities generally assigned to the office of President.
2. President-Elect–The President-Elect shall, in the absence or at the request of the President, carry out the duties of the President; serves as Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee; serves as a member of the Clemson Foundation Board.
3. Immediate Past President–The Immediate Past President shall serve in whatever capacity is deemed appropriate by the President, and serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

While each of these leadership positions consists of responsibilities critical to the success of the Association, it should come as no surprise that the role of President is chief in terms of importance and time commitment. It is estimated that this individual will – on average – spend 10 hours/week engaged in official Alumni Association business and initiatives. Some weeks could require up to 20 or more hours of a time commitment, especially during the scheduled meetings of the various University leadership boards (Alumni Association, Foundation, and IPTAY). The ability to travel regularly to campus, as well as to attend other Association events off-campus, is required of the President.

It is equally important to note that the role of Officer is a volunteer position. Travel expenditures, as well as lodging and related accommodations, for Association-related activities are the responsibility of the Officer.

An interest/nomination form is can be found by clicking here. This form should be used to submit the name and supporting information for any candidate. All nominations must be received by close of business on April 12, 2024. For best consideration, candidates should submit up to three accompanying letters of support. Letters can be attached to the form via the supporting documents field.

Each nomination will be forwarded to the Nominating Committee, to be reviewed and screened by its membership. The Nominating Committee will present its recommendations of qualified candidates to the Alumni Board of Directors, and the election of new Directors will take place during the Board of Directors meeting in the Spring in Clemson.

For more information on the duties and responsibilities of a Director of the Alumni Association Board, or for general inquiries on the nominations and selection process, please contact Wil Brasington, wil@clemson.edu.

Please complete the form below to indicate whether or not you plan to participate in the Class of 1960 Capital Projects Campus tour on Friday, June 9th during the Golden Tiger Reunion at Clemson.

This form is to help us know how many people plan to participate in order to determine if we are able to host the tour. It is important that you complete this form by Friday, May 19th so that we can secure transportation for the tour. Thank you for your assistance.

Q: How do I get my event on the Clemson Alumni Event calendar?
A: All events submitted to the Alumni Association through the Info Request Form requesting an email be sent to a particular constituency base are automatically added to the Alumni Event Calendar and on the Clemson Club or Special Interest Group web page provide by the Alumni Association.

Click here to submit an email distribution request and to have your event added to the Alumni Association Event Calendar.

Visit the Alumni Event Calendar.