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Congressional Medal of Honor recepient Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr.
Marine Corps Pfc. Raymond “Mike” Clausen Jr. shakes hands with President Richard M. Nixon after receiving the Medal of Honor at the White House, June 15, 1971. Clausen earned the Medal of Honor for actions he took to rescue several Marines from a minefield in Vietnam.
Episode 2699 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Marine Corps Pfc. Ray “Mike” Clausen Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.
Lange reported that Clausen, who went by Mike, was born on Oct. 14, 1947, in New Orleans to parents Ray Sr. and Mary Louise. He had a sister and three brothers, two of whom also served in the Marines.
After first grade, Clausen’s family moved to Hammond, Louisiana, where he attended a Catholic primary school and was an altar boy at his church. Eventually, he switched to public school, graduating from Hammond High School in 1965. That fall, he started classes at nearby Southeastern Louisiana University, but after reading daily about all that was happening in Vietnam, he decided he needed to be part of the war effort.
Clausen enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in March 1966. By May of that year, he was discharged so he could join the regular Marines. After attending aviation school, Clausen was deployed to Vietnam, where he served as a jet helicopter mechanic with Marine Aircraft Group 16 of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Mike Clausen wasn’t exactly known for acquiescing to authority during his time in Vietnam, and that lack of obedience helped save more than a dozen Marines who got trapped in a minefield in 1970. Clausen’s fearless actions during that mission earned him the Medal of Honor.
Mike Clausen is another tremendous representative of the Vietnam Veteran Generation – one as great as any that ever heeded the call of duty from our country.
Listen to episode 2699 and discover more about Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.
