Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1943 Lucky Bag:

PHILIP MILLS CLOW

Phil’s greatest moment was his receiving a certain telegram back on Christmas Day, 1938. It concerned his appointment. Agriculture? Medicine? Engineering? Nothing doing! Navy Blue and Gold for Phil! Next to Thermodynamics, he preferred blondes, tall and dreamy-eyed. In his youngster and second-class years, Phil, also dubbed “Post Mortem” and “Philip,” developed an affinity for Miss Springfield, that might have been called passion. He liked the music of liberty call, and knew what to do on leave. As for music, he has a whim for martial airs and songs of good fellowship. Phil can’t wait till he gets out on the deep blue sea.

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The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

From International Military Antiques:

Lieutenant Clow a member of the 16th fighter squadron went missing in action over China on November 19th 1944. He was flying in a P-51 mustang type F-51C-10-NT plane number 43-24970. It was reported that he crashed into friendly territory but no trace was ever found.

Of particular note is a personal letter on watermarked Army stationary addressed to his mother Mrs. Charles J. Clow that was signed by Carl Spaatz giving a determination of death and including some personal details about Lieutenant Clow such as “a reputation for ability and sound judgment” and “initiative and proficiency which marked him…”

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Philip was nominated to the Naval Academy by Congressman Chauncey W. Reed. Philip’s sister was Elizabeth.

From the Class of 1943 anniversary book “25 years later…”:

Phil was born in Plainsville, Illinois and was appointed to the Academy from that state. He was honorably discharged from the Academy on 14 June 1942. He subsequently was commissioned in the Army and assigned to duty in the Far East. On 26 February 1946, Phil was killed as a result of enemy action in China.

He has a memory marker in Illinois with his family, and is on the Walls of the Missing in the Philippines.

Several of his uniforms, his purple heart, and some correspondence were at one point listed for sale.

On June 19, 1942 Philip was “Awarded certificate of graduation containing Bachelor of Science degree, and honorably discharged in lieu of being commissioned.” There is no indication in the Naval Academy Register for why this might be. He was inducted into the Army Air Corps barely a month later (July 22, 1942) as a private, from “civil life.”