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Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Story last updated
at 1/12/2010 - 5:38 pm This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
03/11/2023
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Jim Hardy Clary passed away on Jan. 11, 2010. He
was 70.
Jim was born on Sept. 23, 1939, in Plainview,
Texas, the second son of Arthur and Gladys Clary.
In 1941, the family moved from Plainview to
Lubbock and established residence on 22nd Street,
on a block west of what was then College Avenue.
At the time, 22nd Street was unpaved.
Jim attended public school in Lubbock at Roscoe
Wilson Elementary, JT Hutchinson Jr. High, and
graduated from Monterey High School in 1958. He
then entered Texas A&M University. In 1962, Jim
received a Bachelor of Science degree in
Agricultural Economics.
While attending A&M, Jim was a member of the
Aggie Corps of Cadets and upon graduation, he
received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant of
Infantry in the U.S. Army. His first military
assignment was with the 82nd Airborne Division at
Fort Bragg, N.C. He served as a rifle platoon
leader. During this period, he led his platoon on
16 parachute jumps, including one of the largest
peace time military airborne maneuvers in U.S.
history, Operation Swift Strike. After 12 months
at Fort Bragg, Jim entered the Army's Officer
Rotary Wing Flight Training Program. He earned his
Army Aviator wings in 1964. His flight class was
the first Army Aviator class to be assigned, as a
class, to Vietnam.
Jim spent two, one-year tours of duty in Vietnam,
where he amassed over 1,000 hours of combat
flying time, the majority of which was in
helicopter gunships. In 1965, Jim participated in
the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, made famous by
the Mel Gibson movie, We Were Soldiers Once,
and Young. In 1968, Jim flew virtually around the
clock during the Tet Offensive. For his efforts in
Vietnam, Jim was awarded the Silver Star, the
Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster,
the Vietnamese Cross of Gallentry, the Air Medal
with 23 Oak Leaf Clusters and 2 "V" devices, the
Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal.
Jim was one of the first Army Aviators to fly the
Huey Cobra Gunship in combat. He separated from
the service in 1971 with the rank of Major.
As a civilian, Jim established and operated an
agricultural irrigation business in West Texas for
nine years. In 1980, he entered the financial
services industry, where he spent the next 28
years distinguishing himself as an Investment
Advisor and Certified Financial Planner. During
this time, Jim received numerous awards and
designations. His accomplishments provided Jim
and his beloved wife of 33 years, Sue, the
opportunity to travel to many desirable domestic
locations and numerous international sites such as
Brazil, Venezuela, Switzerland, Spain and
Canada.
During his active career, Jim served a three-year
term as a board member of Lubbock's Better
Business Bureau. He was a member of The Former
Students Association at Texas A&M, The Aggie
Club, Lubbock A&M Club, Texas Tech's Red Raider
Club, The Chancellor's Council at Texas Tech and
The West Texas Museum Association.
For the 14 years prior to his retirement in May
2008, Jim was the owner and principal of Clary
Securities, LLC, a Broker/Dealer and Clary Asset
Management, LLC, a Registered Investment
Advisor.
Jim is survived by his wife Sue. They were married
Aug. 10, 1976. Jim is also survived by his sons
from a previous marriage, Scott of San Antonio,
David and Ross of Houston, and Stephen of
Dallas.
It was Jim's wish that there be no memorial
service.
Memorial gifts can be made to the American
Cancer Society, 3411 73rd Street, Lubbock, TX
79423-1101.
Cremation arrangements are under the direct
supervision of Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial
Designers.
Jim H. Clary took his own life last night, 12
January, in Lubbock, Texas. Ray was notified by
Jim's ex-wife. Jim was a gunship pilot in the
119th Aviation Company and a TAMU graduate, as
are Ray and I. Jim was Class of 1962 and I think
he was in the Field Artillery cadet battalion. He
had been estranged from his first family for years
and we suspect PTSD. Ray thinks he is survived
by a second wife.
Jim left a note and we don't know the contents,
except that he referred to a brain tumor. He
drove to a Lubbock park and used a handgun.
I remember Jim for his antics at the animal
parties in the Dragon Den at Camp Holloway. I
also remember the time he escorted us on a
combat assault out of Tuy Hoa. Jim put a pair of
rockets under a VC on a bicycle, who was pedaling
like mad with an AK-47 slung on his back.
According to Jerry Riches, nothing much came
down except a helmet and one bicycle wheel.
From: Chuck Oualline