Clarence W. Pickhaver was born in 1922 to Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Pickhaver, who lived in Wilmington, Delaware. Clarence was one of 4 children including:  brothers William and Ellwood Jr., and sister Stella. His mother died when he was 5 years old.

His father was unable to care for him after the death of his wife. Margaret Himelright found Clarence sitting on a street corner and brought him home to feed and clean him.  Upon inquiry, they understood his family situation, and Margaret and Raymond Himelright adopted him.

His foster parents lived at 304 West Biddle Street in West Chester.  Raymond was a local businessman, operating a Dry Cleaning establishment at 21 S. High St.  He was also a Borough Councilman, and served as coordinator for the Civilian Defense of West Chester.

 

Clarence was raised by the Himelright’s with their child, Raymond Jr. (who was born later).  His sister Stella also lived with Himelright’ for a few years.  

Clarence was educated at St. Agnes High School in West Chester.  He was popular among the young people of the borough and was known by his nickname “Ducky”.

Clarence joined the Navy a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After basic training, he was assigned aboard the destroyer USS Bristol DD-453.   The Bristol was a new destroyer of the Benson-Livermore Class,  which were rated at a top speed of 37 knots.

Clarence returned home on leave in February 1942.  At the time he was rated as a Seaman Apprentice working in the engine boiler room of the ship. The Bristol operated as convoy escort, protecting ships making several transatlantic trips to Ireland.

In April, Clarence became gravely ill; the ship’s doctor diagnosed a ruptured appendix. Emergency surgery was performed aboard ship, but his heart failed.  They gave him artificial respiration for 4 hours in an attempt to revive him, but to no success.  Seaman Apprentice Clarence Pickhaver died on board ship on April 9th – one day from returning to port in Boston.

The family was notified by telegram on April 14^th from Rear Admiral Randall Jacobs, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.  Although Clarence qualified for burial in a National Cemetery, the family wished him to be buried in their family plot in West Chester.

A viewing was held at his parent’s residence on Friday April 17^th, a home filled with floral arrangements from the community as well as from his shipmates.  High Mass was conducted at St. Agnes Church in the afternoon, followed by burial at St. Agnes Cemetery just north of West Chester.  Representatives of all of and Navy, Army and Army Air Corps were present to render honors. 

The Captain of the Bristol, Commander C.C. Wood, wrote the following in a letter to his parents:

“During the time that your son served on this vessel he endeared himself to his shipmates in many little ways.   He established for himself a reputation as a willing, cheerful worker and a good companion.  He was one of the finest type of American manhood and his loss is felt by us all.  I was proud, as his commanding officer, to have him in my crew.  To you, I can pay him no higher tribute.”

Clarence was the first casualty from West Chester reported during the War.  His ship, the USS Bristol, hit a mine and sunk a few months later in October in the Mediterranean area with a loss of 52 crew members.

His adopted father, Raymond Himelright, offered free dry cleaning to servicemen during the War.  He collected over 200 unit patches from West Chester Service men and proudly displayed them in his store on High St.  The framed patches were recently found and were donated by the family to Tony Polito, and are on display at his Barber shop / military museum south of West Chester on Rt. 202.