Clarence Iona, decorated war veteran, dead at 83
Advertiser Staff
Decorated World War II veteran Clarence Iona, 83, of Kailua, died June 21 at Tripler Army Medical Center.
Born in 1918, he was a full-blooded Hawaiian who attended Kamehameha School for Boys and graduated from McKinley High School. As a boy, Iona often surfed off Waikiki on a koa board.
Clarence Iona received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
He went to work for Honolulu Rapid Transit Co., and joined the Hawai'i Army National Guard in 1935. Iona was activated into the regular Army in 1941 while stationed at Schofield Barracks.
Iona was shot in the chest 48 days after the D-Day landing at Normandy but survived the wound and later received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
After the war, he continued his Army career and eventually retired, as a first sergeant, in 1970 while stationed in California. His 30-year military career took him from the Hawaiian Islands to posts in Europe, New Caledonia, Korea and the Mainland.
Iona retired in Kailua with his wife, Virginia, and became the owner of Oneawa Taxi. He also pursued his involvement with the military throughout his life as commander in the American Legion, Post 9, Kailua and as senior vice commander with the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
He had a passion for golf and, while stationed in California, he served as marshal in the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Pebble Beach Golf Tournament for several years.
"My dad had a presence," said son Calvin Iona of Oceanside, Calif. "He was a warrior; he showed up and he was present. He was not gregarious or loud, not domineering, but he had a certain way of talking to people and making things happen. He also had an incredible memory and could recognize his classmates from the 1930s today."
In addition to his wife, Virginia, and son Calvin, Iona is survived by his son Walter of West Covina, Calif.,; granddaughter, Moani, and her mother, Maija; sisters, Margaret Johnson, Aulani Isomura, Ella Mae Kupau, Frances Schuman, Elaine Flynn, Maile Kirk and Pauahi Anae; and brothers Lloyd and Winston Kupau.
Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 114 Makawao, Kailua. Services at 12 p.m., Mass at 12:30 p.m.; committal service at 2 p.m. at Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire. Arrangements by Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary.
