CLARENCE "Hugh" LONG III

1943 - 2021

Clarence D. Long, III, Esq. "Hugh" Passed away on Thursday, October 28, 2021 in his home in Warrenton, VA at the age of 78. Hugh is survived by his wife, JoAlice Harrell-Long, his sister, Susanna Liberty of Los Angeles, CA, and his children, Clarence of DC, Andrew of Pittsfield, MA, Amanda of Lackawanna, NY, Victoria Williams (née Long) of Evanston, IL, Stephen of Charleston, SC, and his grandchildren, Mary Alyse, Isla, Quentin, and Tilly.

Hugh was born on February 7, 1943 in Princeton, NJ. His parents were the late Congressman Clarence "Doc" D. Long Jr., and Susanna Larter Long. His family later relocated to Ruxton, MD. Hugh attended Johns Hopkins University and majored in History and Economics.

After graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 1965, Hugh volunteered for the U.S. Army. He graduated from Ranger School in 1966. He then served as a Lieutenant in command of a Long-Range Reconnaissance Platoon with the 2nd Battalion of the 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1966-1967. On December 31, 1966 he bravely exposed himself to enemy fire in order to rescue a wounded soldier from an unprotected position and carry him to safety. He was later awarded the Silver Star for his actions that day. Hugh was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Soldier's Medal, the RVN Cross for Gallantry, and two Purple Heart Medals for his service in Vietnam.

After Vietnam, Hugh attended law school and graduated in 1971. In 1975, Hugh returned to the Army as a Captain in the JAG Corps. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. In 1980, Hugh was assigned to the Contract Appeals Division of the Army General Counsel's Office. He relocated to Northern Virginia and retired from active duty in 1992 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He continued his legal career as an Assistant General Counsel for the U.S. Air Force until he fully retired in 2006.

Hugh's first marriage lasted 25 years, and he and his wife, Chloe, had five children. He later married JoAlice Harrell in 2005 and moved to Warrenton, VA where they lived happily until his death. Hugh was a fierce patriot who was proud of his children, his military service, and of his volunteer work with veterans.

Long before Hugh died, he thought about the deaths of his fellow veterans. His favorite quote was from the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Translated from ancient Greek, it reads: Stranger, if you go to the land of the Spartans, tell them we lie here, obedient to their call. When asked about the loss of his father, his eldest son thought Hugh's favorite quote would be a fitting epitaph for a man who spent his life in service to his country.

LTC Clarence "Hugh" D. Long III, Esq. USA (Ret.) is interned at Moser Funeral Home. He will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The service will be scheduled in 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations should be sent to the Strike Force Association, an organization dedicated to remembering its fallen heroes. See: http://www.2nd502.org/index.php?page=donate