CW5 Clapp buried at Ft. Sam Houston
Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) Douglas Vin-cent Clapp, of Salado, was buried Dec. 10, 2004 at Fort Sam Houston Nation-al Cemetery. CW5 Clapp was killed in a helicopter accident Nov. 29, 2004.
CW5 Clapp was one of seven Fort Hood soldiers who perished in a helicopter crash on November 29. The seven soldiers were honored by approximately 3,000 fellow troops, surviving family members and citizens in a memorial that filled to capacity the Christian House of Prayer in Killeen.
They were preparing the 4th Infantry Division for a return to combat when their UH60 Black Hawk went down near Bruceville-Eddy after crashing into a television transmission tower’s guy wires.
Soldiers killed in the accident were these: Brig. Gen. Charles B. Allen, 4th Inf. Div. assistant division commander for support, Col. James M. Moore, commander for Division Support Command, Spc. Richard L. Brown, a helicopter mechanic assigned to Company A, 2nd Bat-talion, 4th Aviation, Capt. Todd T. Christmas, an air defense artillery officer assigned to HHC, STB, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Douglas V. Clapp, a senior automotive maintenance officer for the division, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark W. Evans Jr., a helicopter pilot assigned to Co. A, 2-4 Aviation, Chief Warrant Officer 2 David H. Gardner, Jr., also a helicopter pilot assigned to Co. A, 2-4 Aviation.
CW5 Clapp was born May 28, 1956 in Lebanon, PA and was raised in Greensboro, NC.
In 11986, he received an Associate Degree from Troy State University. In 1977, he graduated from University of Central Texas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Inter-disciplinary Studies.
He entered the Army as an enlisted soldier Aug. 28, 1974 and was appoint-ed as a Warrant Officer on Jan. 31, 1985. He en-listed as a 63A, Mechanics Helper. He attended Basic Training at 17th Training Company, 5th Battalion, at Fort Knox, KY.
Upon completion of Advanced Individual Training, he was assigned to 1/21 Aviation Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 34th Medical Battalion, Ft. Benning, GA.
There, he held Military Occupational Skills, 63B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic) and 71L (SID-PERS clerk and Equal Opportunity Clerk). In July 198, he was assigned to 66th Maintenance Company in Germany, where he worked in shop operations as a Report Control Clerk and a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. In Au-gust, 1980, he returned to HHC, 34th MED Bat-talion, Ft. Benning, GA, where he worked as a Light Wheeled Vehicle and Power Generation Mechanic, then as Detachment Motor Sergeant. After attending the 63B, LT Wheel Vehicle and Power Generation Mechanic Course, he was assigned to HHC 2ND Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Hovery, Korea as the Maintenance Recovery Team Chief. In St. 1983, he was assigned to HHC, 36th Engineer Battalion, Fort Benning, GA, where he served until he was appointed as a Warrant Officer.
After his appointment and initial training as a Warrant Officer, CW5 Clapp was assigned to 6th Cavalry Bridge, Ft. Hood, as a Ground Maintenance Technician. While at Ft. Hood, Chief Clapp was re-assigned to 158th Aviation Regiment, where he spent 13 months as an Automotive Maintenance Officer. In Sept. 1988, CW5 Clapp was reassigned to Camp Essayons, Korea, where he served as a Field Artillery Maintenance Technician in 2nd Infantry Division. He returned to Ft. Hood, where he was assigned as a Battalion Maintenance Technician in 1st Cavalry Division. During his time with 1st Cavalry Division, he was reassigned to Service Battery, 1-82 Field Artillery and deployed to Dhabran, Saudi Arabia, spending one year in sup-port of Desert Storm. In 1993, Chief Clapp was reassigned to 2-12 Armored Cavalry, where he served as the Heavy Unit Maintenance Technician. In 1994, CW5 Clapp was sent back to Korea where he served as the Battalion Maintenance Technician in 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea.
He once again returned to 1st Cav and was as-signed to 2-8 Armor for 22 month. CW5 Clapp was then reassigned to III Corps US Army Garrison Ft. Hood, where he worked in the office of the Inspector General, as an Assistant Inspector General for Maintenance. During this time, he applied for “Training with Industry” and was accepted to the program, spending one year at the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana. While there, he was the Liaison from the depot to active duty units. CW5 Clapp was responsible for numerous closely with the Directorate of Operations, Combat and Tactical Repair Divi-sion, Production Management Division, Production Support Division and the Rubber Products Divi-sion. CW5 Clapp returned to Ft. Hood in Aug. 2001, where he was assigned to C Company, 4th Forward Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.
CW5 Clapp deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where his unit directly supported 1-66 Armor. While serving in Iraq, Chief Clapp was promoted to CW5, the highest grade a Warrant Officer can achieve.
After his return from Operation Iraqi Freedom, CW5 Clapp was assigned as the Senior Maintenance Technician for the 4th Infantry Division on June 28, 2004. CW5 served his nation with distinction and honor for more than 30 years.
CW5 Clapp’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Parachutist Badge.
CW5 is survived by his wife of 26 years Shelann Clapp and daughter Jennifer Clapp.
He is also survived by his father Rufus Calvin Clapp, of North Carolina; three brothers, Brian Campbell, of Virginia, Dennis Clapp, of North Carolina, and Rodney Clapp of North Carolina; and three sisters, Olivia Smith, of New York, Jackie Smith of North Carolina, and Annie Law-son, of North Carolina. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.