Clifton Silvers Ault

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 1925, Kansas State Census Collection, Jewell County, Ionia Township, Image 11 of 44. Age 2 yrs.

• Census, 1930, Kansas, Jewell County, Ionia Township, Roll 706, Book 1, Page 100a. Age 7 yrs.

• Census, 1940, Kansas, Jewell County, Ionia Township, Image 9 of 12. Age 17 yrs.

• Graduation: Ionia Rural High School, 14 May 1943, Ionia, Jewell County, Kansas.

• Military Service: U.S. Navy, 27 Nov 1943 to 1 Dec 1945, Various Locations.

Naval Recruiting Station, Kansas City, Missouri - 27 Nov. 1943 to 30 Nov. 1943, AS
Naval Training Station, Farragut, Idaho - 30 Nov. 1943 to 26 Feb. 1944, S2c
Naval Air Training Base, Camp Bradford, Norfolk, Virginia - 26 Feb. 1944 to 9 Mar. 1944, S2c
USS LST 539 (Landing Ship, Tank) - 9 Mar. 1944 to 25 Aug. 1944, S2c
USS LST 543 (Landing Ship, Tank) - 25 Aug. 1944 to 25 Mar. 1945, S2c
US Naval Air Training Base, Camp Bradford, Norfolk, Virginia - 25 Mar. 1945 to 25 Apr. 1945, S2c
USS LCS(L) (3)-5 (Landing Craft, Support) - 25 Apr. 1945 to 1 Dec. 1945, S1c

E-1 - AS - Apprentice Seaman (World War II) Seaman Recruit
E-2 - S2c - Seaman 2nd Class (World War II) Seaman Apprentice
E-3 - S1c - Seaman 1st Class (World War II) Seaman

* World War II Victory Medal
* American Campaign Medal
* European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/1 Bronze Star
* Combat Action Ribon, Discharge Button Lapel Pin
* Honorable Service Lapel Pin (Ruptured Duck)
* Amphibious Forces Patch, Point System Discharge.

• Military Service - U.S. Navy: Ship LST-539, 9 Mar 1944 to 25 Aug 1944, Various Locations. LST-539 was laid down on 9 November 1943 at Evansville, Ind., by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co.; launched on 10 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Peyton Koch; and commissioned on 17 February 1944. During World War II, LST-539 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the movements of Convoy UGS-37 in April 1944 and the invasion of Normandy in June 1944.

Convoy UGS-37, April 11-12, 1944 - In this convoy were 37 ships carrying Armed Guards. They were some 35 miles east of Algiers near midnight of April 11 and 12 when an undetermined number of enemy planes attacked. No ship carrying Armed Guards was hit by the enemy, but several ships received minor damage from the gunfire of other ships. Practically all ships opened fire and the amount of flak falling was quite heavy.

Following the war, LST-539 performed occupation duty in the Far East in October 1945 and saw service in China in December 1945. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 22 June 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 31 July that same year. On 22 April 1948, the ship was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Co., of Bethlehem, Pa., and subsequently scrapped. Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons: China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp). LST-539 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

• Military Service - U.S. Navy: Ship LST-543, 25 Aug 1944 to 25 Mar 1945, Various Locations. LST-543 was laid down on 6 December 1943 at Evansville, Ind., by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co.; launched on 1 February 1944; sponsored by Lt. (jg.) Helen C. Hanson, USNR; and commissioned on 6 March 1944, Lt. Robert F. Blake in command. During World War II, LST-543 was assigned to the European theater and participated in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. She was then assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and took part in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945. Following the war, LST-543 performed occupation duty in the Far East and saw service in China until early May 1946. She returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 31 May 1946 and struck from the Navy list on 17 July 1947. On 5 December 1947, the ship was sold to Bosey, Philippines. LST-543 earned two battle stars for World War II service.

• Military Service - U.S. Navy: Ship LCS(L)(3)-5, 25 Apr 1945 to 1 Dec 1945, Various Locations. Specifications of USS LCS (L) (3)-5: Displacement 250 t (lt), 387 t (fl). Length 158' 6". Beam 23' 3". Draft loaded, 4' 9" fwd, 6' 6" aft. Speed 16.5k max at 650 shaft rpm, 14.5kts at 585 shaft rpm. Armor 10-lb STS splinter shield to gun mounts, pilot house and conning tower. Complement 6 Officers, 65 Enlisted. Propulsion 8 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers. Endurance 5,500 miles at 12kts at 45" pitch (350 tons displacement) Fuel/Stores 76 tons fuel oil, 10 tons fresh water, 6 tons lubrication oil, 8 tons provisions and stores at full load. Fresh Water Capacity distills up to 1,000 gals. per day. Armament bow gun, one single 3"/50 gun mount, additional guns 2 twin 40mms 4 single 20mms, 4 .50 cal Machine Guns, ten MK7 rocket launchers . Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp).

• U.S. City Directory: Page 34, 1953, Colby, Thomas County, Kansas. Ault, Clifton S (Marian E-tel opr) lineman SW Bell Tel Co 165 S Garfield ch: Curtis 5.

• Newspaper Article: Jewell County, Record, 16 Jan 1964, Jewell County, Kansas. Mr. Clifton Ault and son, Douglas, of Colby, Kans., were overnight guests Sunday at the W. W. Gunn home.

• Newspaper Article, 17 Aug 1972, Jewell County Record. Mrs. Ruby Rooker and her grandson, Mark Schnorr, accompanied Cliff Ault to Salina Sunday evening to take Doug, David and Deanna Ault there.

• Newspaper Article, 31 Aug 1972, Jewell County Record. Clifton Ault is at home in Ionia after his bout with pneumonia and a short time in the hospital.

• Newspaper Article: Jewell County Record, 14 Sep 1972, Ionia, Jewell County, Kansas. Douglas, David and Deanna Ault, Salina, spent the weekend with their father, Cliff Ault.

• Newspaper Article, 17 May 1973, Jewell County Record. Clifton Ault and his three children spent the weekend in his home here in Ionia.

• Newspaper Article, 26 Jun 1980, Jewell County Record. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Ault and Amanda and Dee Ault spent several days last week with his father, Mrs. Clifton Ault and Dave.

• Newspaper Article, 10 Jul 1980, Jewell County Record. Mr. Doug Ault came Saturday evening to spend the next two weeks with his father, Clifton Ault and Dave.

• Newspaper Article, 18 Dec 1980, Jewell County Record. Doug Ault came Friday to spend the Christmas holidays with his father, Clifton Ault and David.

• Newspaper Article, 1 Jan 1981, Jewell County Record. Mr. Cliff Ault was happy to have all of his children home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Ault and family of Texas, Miss Dee Ault, Doug Ault and Dave Ault.

• Newspaper Article: Jewell County Record, 22 Jan 1981, Ionia, Jewell County, Kansas. Mrs. Goldie Pate, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Diers, Concordia, Mr. Bill Ault, Hays, Mr. Clifton Ault and Dave and Ranae Hillman and Dustin David were Sunday dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Don Sutton.

• Newspaper Article: Jewell County Record, 26 Mar 1981, Ionia, Jewell County, Kansas. Miss Dee Ault returned to her home in Texas last Wednesday after a visit with her father, Cliff Ault, Doug and Dave. Doug left Saturday and went direct to Turkey where he will be stationed the next year.

• Newspaper Article, 30 Apr 1981, Jewell County Record. David Ault was over Saturday and Sunday. David and Ranae and Dustin went down to Hilltop Lodge in Beloit to see his dad. They said he looked real good.

• Social Security Death Index, Nov 1981, Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas.

Name: C. Ault
SSN: 513-12-7270
Last Residence: 67420 Beloit, Mitchell, Kansas, United States of America
Born: 29 Mar 1923
Died: Nov 1981
State (Year) SSN issued: Kansas (Before 1951)

• Obituary: Salina Journal, 20 Nov 1981, Salina, Kansas.

IONIA - The funeral for Clifton S. Ault, 58, of Ionia, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Ionia, the Rev. James Swank officiating. Burial will be at the cemetery in Athens.

Mr. Ault died Wednesday at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit. He was born March 29, 1923 in Decator, Ark. and moved to Kansas as a child. He was educated in Ionia. He also lived in Lawrence and Colby.

Mr. Ault was a retired repairman and switchman for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. He was a member of the Veterns of Foreign Wars and served in the Navy during World War II.

Surviving are three sons, Curtis, Colleyville, Texas; David, Bitburg, Germany; and Douglas, Incirlick, Turkey; one daughter, Deanna, Colleyville, Texas; three brothers, William, Hays; Virgil, Topeka, Raymond, Topeka; five sisters, Sylvia Noller, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Goldie Pate, Ionia; Pearl Dieres, Concordia; Ruby Sutton, Ionia, Opal Hall, Sterling; and two stepchildren, Joe McCammon, Mankato and June Callaway, Almena.

Friends may call at Kleppinger Funeral Home in Jewell.

• Cemetery, 1981, Athens Cemetery, Athens Township, Jewell County, Kansas.

Headstone Inscription: Father of Curtis, Douglas, David & Deanna
Footstone Inscription: S1 US NAVY WWII

Clifton married Marian Elizabeth Gunn, daughter of William Windsor "Willie" Gunn Jr. and Erma Bernice Dick, on 23 Dec 1945 in Mankato, Jewell County, Kansas. (Marian Elizabeth Gunn was born on 28 Jul 1928 in Webber, Jewell County, Kansas, died on 17 Jul 1979 in Republic County Hospital, Belleville, Republic County, Kansas and was buried on 19 Jul 1979 in Plot: Section 10, Lot 108, Evergreen Cemetery, Superior, Nuckolls County, Nebraska.)

Clifton next married Leota Eloise Fidler Boyer, daughter of Omie Fidler and Merle June Kirpatrick, on 9 Sep 1975 in Jewell County, Kansas. (Leota Eloise Fidler Boyer was born on 22 Mar 1918 in Sabetha, Brown County, Kansas, died on 5 May 1979 in Mankato, Jewell County, Kansas and was buried in Ionia Cemetery, Ionia Township, Jewell County, Kansas.)