Clifford H. West, Jr., 1943

​Our Omega Mu veteran-brothers who served in the military are cherished and constant fraternal friends, and we would like to say thank you for the steadfast, purposeful commitment you made to our nation to defend those four freedoms we all believe in: “Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.” For those brothers who were killed in defense of these freedoms, they will always occupy a consecrated place in our linked fraternal heart because they exemplify the idea of superlative commitment, strength, and fortitude for the good to the end itself. The greatness of their collective purpose and will, on our nation’s behalf, will never be forgotten. By their “clear-eyed faith and fearless heart,” these brothers have left us a fraternal legacy that echoes what we often say about Omega Mu Fijis: “Perseverance and determination are omnipotent.” Their code of integrity, courage, duty, responsibility, and self-sacrifice on behalf of our nation is a powerful legacy that we will always be proud of as Omega Mu Fijis. 

​Whether it was at New Orleans, Red River, Fort Blakely, Marianna, San Juan Hill, Santiago de Cuba, Chateau-Thierry, Verdun, El Guettar, Elba, Monte Della Vedetta, the Battle of the Bulge, Rabaul, Inchon, Pusan, Chosin Reservoir, Pork Chop Hill, Hue, Easter Offensive, Phu Cat, The Iron Triangle, Hamburger Hill, la Drang Valley, Bien Hoa, Khe Sanh, Rumaila,  Al-Batin, Medina Ridge, Kabul, Kandahar, our Omega Mu brothers have demonstrated devotion to duty in defense of freedom and liberty. They are the stability of our nation, and we, the Omega Mu brotherhood, revere, honor, and salute their persevering and determined spirit within our great nation and our historic brotherhood. We will always honor the heroism of all of our brothers who have served in the armed forces from the Civil War to the present. Thank you.

Omega Mu Veteran
Clifford H. West, Jr.,
1943

Omega Mu Years

Omega MU Housemother, Mrs. Vickers

Omega Mu Housemother, Mrs. Walker

Snow Sculptures

"Phi Gam's snow sculpture last week was probably the most beautiful this
university has ever seen." 

"One of the finest examples of snow and ice sculpture at the carnival was the "spirit of light" executed mostly in ice by members of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. It received
honorable mention. Dudley Utterback
​was chief designer."

Dudley Utterback

University of Maine Clubs

Military Career

Clifford H. West, Jr., was in the First Marine Division during World War II. 

Clifford H. West, Jr. was part of the assault landing on Peleliu.

Landing craft, LTVs, moving toward the beaches of Peleliu.

Clifford H. West's description of the assault on Peleliu: "We thought the landing would be a piece of calk. We offloaded and circled in rendezvous positions. Our ships were still were still firing just a little way from us. Then they stated the waves going in for landing. Soon we stated to hear that there was difficulty. Boats were being blown up and the landing was being opposed. I was probably in the 5th or 6th wave. Boats were not getting to shore. They ran into protruding obstacles. Bodies and stuff were floating in the bay. By that time planes were still dive-bombing but the naval gunfire had stopped....I could not believe that there could be such a change...When we started we thought it was going to be a real picnic."

Clifford W. West, Jr. served as a forward air controller to provide accurate information on enemy targets in order to coordinate and control air, artillery, and naval gunfire during the Battle of Peleliu. In this capacity, he was in constant contact with"Chesty" Puller with the information he was gathering from his forward position. ​

A Marine Corps F-4 Corsair dropping napalm on a Japanese held position in the mountains on Peleliu due to accurate information provided by Clifford H. West. Jr. 

Chesty Puller, second from the left, on Peleliu.

Colonel Lewis "Chesty" Puller, 
one of the most celebrated Marine Corps officers.

Clifford H. West's talking about Chesty Puller: "Puller was a real leader and fearless. When were pinned down there on Peleliu, he was walking around telling people to do this or move there, sometimes hollering at them if a person was cowering or not pulling his load. He was very severe with them. Just seeing him being as fearless as he was helped an awful lot. He was a good leader. He was like a bull in a china shop. He would push ahead a lot."

Clifford H. West was part of the assault landing on Okinawa with the 1st Marine Corps Regiment, and he was a forward air controller providing accurate information on enemy targets on the island.

When World War II ended, Clifford H. West was sent with the
1st Marine Corps Regiment to ​Tienstin, China.

The 1st Marine Corps Regiment was in Tienstin for occupation purposes, as well as to provide railroad protection from Peiping and Tienstin to Chinwangtao.

​

“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)

Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge