Clayborne enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1967 and in October was assigned to Cornpany M of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, in Vietnam. He wrote to his fiancée's father, a 22-year Army veteran just home from a tour in Vietnam, “1 know this is the last place you want to talk about, because I know when I come home, I sure don't want to talk about it. I hope by the time you read this letter, you'll be used to living again.” The 18-year-old lance corporal, a rifleman and fire team leader, died in Quang Tn Province on May 16, 1968. A former Edison High School student, Clayborne was survived by his father, three brothers and two sisters.