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Clarence J. McClary
Agency patch
Corporal

Clarence J. McClary

Alexandria Police Department — Alexandria, VA
Felonious
United States flag Virginia flag
End of Watch March 17, 1935
Age 28
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 16

Incident

Corporal Clarence McClary was shot and killed in the mountains south of Leesburg, Virginia, while searching for several men, one who had shot and wounded a federal officer the previous day as he and several other officers raided two liquor still operations. He was a member of a posse of federal, state, and Alexandria officers searching for the men. Ten men who were involved in the liquor operation were surrounded and captured. The identity of one of the men who shot the federal officer was determined. Then, it was determined he was the same man who killed Corporal McClary. During questioning, the suspect, age 66, said that he had escaped from a Wisconsin prison camp on August 21, 1932. He had been sentenced to 25 years on June 21, 1922, for second-degree murder after the killing of two fellow moonshiners in Langlade County, Wisconsin. He was convicted of Corporal McClary's murder and sentenced to 20 years. Corporal McClary had served with the Alexandria Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife and four children. His brother, Sergeant Charles McClary, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on June 20, 1929, while also serving with the Alexandria Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Corporal McClary gave the Alexandria Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Alexandria community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal McClary.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Alexandria Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Alexandria, VA
Platform Identity apd.alexandria.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 17, 1935
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Clarence is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1935, 154 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 25th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Clarence was 28. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Clarence had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Alexandria Police Department has 17 officers remembered here, Clarence among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Corporal Clarence J. McClary

Alexandria Police Department · End of Watch March 17, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 39-E

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