Every Aug. 7, an older Chafee would call Clement and reminisce about that day, their times as Marines and World War II in general.

“Probably one of the finest men that’s ever been,” Clement said this morning. “We were foxhole buddies. I knew him quite well.”

Chafee, 77, died of heart failure Sunday night. He served Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate for four terms. Previously, he had been secretary of the Navy and a three-term Republican governor in an overwhelmingly Democratic state.

“He was a born leader,” Clement said, “and yet he was very personable and down to earth. He had high integrity and a feeling for people.”

Clement last talked to Chafee Aug. 7. The invasion of Guadalcanal, the largest of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, became the first U.S. offensive after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Clement and Chafee started out at the New River Marine Base (now Camp Lejeune) in North Carolina, traveled across the country by train, shipped out from San Francisco and landed together on the Solomon Islands on that noteworthy Aug. 7.

The Marines caught the enemy cold and drove the Japanese away, but the enemy eventually regrouped and came back with a vengeance.

Clement and Chafee served together until Chafee shipped out of Australia for officer candidates school. Chafee eventually became a captain; Clement, a sergeant.

Through the years, besides the annual telephone calls, the men exchanged Christmas cards. They got together personally about four times, Clement recalled. He also had kept in touch with Chafee’s doings through fellow Salisburian Dick Messinger, also a Chafee acquaintance.

“He was very anxious to keep contact with his war friends,” Clement said of Chafee. “He and I were the last two of the group we knew. The last time I talked to him, he said, ‘I can’t think of anyone else now to talk to about it.’”

Chafee earned a reputation for being one of the most moderate Republicans in the U.S. Senate. He drew praise for his environmental stands. He supported abortion rights, gun control legislation and an expanded government role in health care coverage.

Chafee voted to acquit President Clinton on both articles of impeachment. He was a descendant of one of the families that settled Rhode Island.

Clement said Chafee lost a bid for his fourth term as governor only because of the death of his 16-year-old daughter.

“He just dropped out, quit running,” Clement recalled.

Chafee had announced that he would not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2000. His son, Lincoln, is running for the seat.

“He felt it was probably time for him to drop out of action,” Clement said. “He was so conscientious. He worked very hard.”

Salisbury native Elizabeth Dole issued a statement from her Washington office after Chafee’s death: