klˈɔːntʃ wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ, ˌɪlənˈɔɪ ænd dʒˈɔɪnd ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts nˈeɪvi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪtiːn wˌɛɹ hiː wʌz ɐsˈaɪnd tə ðə wˈaɪt hˈaʊs æz ɐn ɐsˈɪstənt tʊ ɐ nˈeɪvəl ˈeɪd.
Claunch was born in Chicago, Illinois and joined the United States Navy in 1918 where he was assigned to the White House as an assistant to a naval aide.