#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Clarence Beavers

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Clarence Beavers.

Clarence was born in Harlem in 1921. His maternal grandparents had been escaped slaves, and his grandfather served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Clarence enlisted in the National guard after graduating from George Washington High School in Manhattan. When an order barring blacks from serving as front-line paratroopers was revoked during World War II, he was the first to volunteer.

Clarence, along with 16 other soldiers, was part of 555^th Parachute Infantry Battalion, which was the Army’s first all-black paratroop unit. The soldiers were nicknamed “the Triple Nickels.”

After his service, he worked on computer systems for the Veterans Administration.

Clarence died at his home on December 4, 2017. He was 96.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.