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Mr. Clausen, a native of New Orleans, enlisted in the Marines in May 1966 after attending Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.
On Jan. 31, 1970, Private First Class Clausen, assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 of the First Marine Air Wing, flew as crew chief on a mission to rescue marines who had inadvertently entered an area containing American-laid mines while pursuing enemy troops near Da Nang.
Private Clausen guided the pilot to a landing in a patch of tall grass cleared by one of several mine explosions. Twenty marines were nearby, 11 of them wounded, one already dead, and the other 8 in place, fearful of setting off additional mines if they moved.
Private Clausen disobeyed an order by the helicopter pilot to remain on the craft. "I told him, `No, sir, I'm going off the plane,' " he recalled in an interview with The Dallas Morning News last January.
He leaped from the helicopter, ignored the presence of hidden mines, picked up a wounded marine and carried him back to the craft. Several other marines followed his path to the helicopter, knowing it would be clear of the mines.
Private Clausen then directed the helicopter to another spot and resumed his rescue efforts. His citation said that despite the threat of further mine explosions, he made six trips out of the helicopter. On one of them, a mine detonated while he was carrying a wounded marine, killing another member of the stranded platoon and wounding three other men.
"Only when he was certain that all marines were safely aboard did he signal the pilot to lift the helicopter," his citation said.
President Richard M. Nixon presented Mr. Clausen with the Medal of Honor at the White House on June 15, 1971.