Clarence E. Vammen, Jr.

Who was Clarence E. Vammen, Jr.?

Clarence Earl Vammen, Jr. was a United States Navy aviator during World War II.

Vamman was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on 17 October 1919. He attended Pomona Junior College in California before enlisting in the Naval Reserve on 17 February 1941 at Long Beach, Calif. After his initial duty at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base Long Beach, Seaman 2d Class Vammen was transferred to naval air station at Pensacola, Fla., on 27 March. On 3 April, he was discharged at his own request to accept an appointment as an aviation cadet.

Vammen reported to NAS Pensacola, on 4 April for flight training. Detached on 19 August and transferred to NAS Miami, for further training, Vammen was appointed a naval aviator on 23 September. Completing his instruction on 20 October, he accepted the rank of ensign that day.

Assigned to Advanced Carrier Training Group, Pacific Fleet, soon thereafter, Vammen continued his training until joining Torpedo Squadron 6, based on the aircraft carrier Enterprise, on 28 April 1942. He joined the ship within two weeks of the completion of the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, 18 April 1942, and just before his carrier and Hornet proceeded south toward the Coral Sea to meet an expected Japanese thrust. The two flattops were too late to assist Lexington and Yorktown in the critical Battle of the Coral Sea which took place from 4 to 8 May.