The Luckiest & Unluckiest Corpsman of Tarawa

[JerryTheGerman]

This is probably the most important part of my collection at the moment. This is the uniform of Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class Clinton Hoatson. Hoatson enlisted in the navy in September 1942, and was allowed to by his parents under the grounds he would serve with medical personnel only. Hoatson soon completed medical training by mid-1943 and was sent with the 16th replacement draft that attached him to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. While stationed in New Zealand waiting for a new assignment, Hoatson was attached to HQ company and took part in the regimental photos. As November started, Hoatson would finally ship out towards the Tarawa Atoll. He would arrive to Tarawa on November 20th and would begin loading off the USS Feland. On November 21st he loaded onto a Higgins boat and was then put into an inflatable raft containing 8 people. While paddling to shore, the raft began to sink. Luckily a near by LVT picked them up. This LVT would take them another 200 yards before an unexpected mine in the reef would detonate and flip the entire metal tracked vehicle upside down. Hoatson broke his leg in the explosion, he would try valiantly to save the remaining passengers. Sadly his attempts were futile as he was the sole survivor. After some time he would spot an approaching LVT and would shout to PhM 1/c Dr. Paul E. Schaff to "Help me" as he was struggling to swim. Dr. Schaff got a stretcher and a splint in order to help with Hoatson's exposed femur. After the LVT hit the beach around nightfall, Hoatson and some other marines would be in and around the LVT when a Japanese bomber flew over and dropped several bombs near the LVT. The bombs hit the front, sides, and surrounding marines in the area. Hoatson, by a stroke of luck, would fly out of the LVT nearly unharmed (besides from some minor shrapnel wounds). After being pulled into a crater by fellow corpsmen he would be transported back to a hospital ship the next morning. Hoatson was stated to have been cautious when entering a third LVT. Hoatson would make it back to the US and would be discharged in 1944. He would be awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star medals for his action on Tarawa. Tarawa1943.com has Hoatson’s full story for those who are interested. This story has been one of the unluckiest I’ve ever heard during the war and I’m happy to share Mr. Hoatson’s legacy.

[JerryTheGerman]

This uniform has been posted on the uniform before, but I just wanted to show it now as a part of my collection and some pieces of his story that were left out originally 

[JerryTheGerman]

Also here’s a press photo I luckily bought on eBay showing Hoatson in a hospital recovering:

[edjperkins]

On August 2, 2003, Clinton Hoatson passed away in Emmet, ID at the age of 80.