World War II Honoree

Arthur G. 'Art' Clark

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

OAMC, ROTC Class of 1943

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER, 1940 TO APRIL 5, 1943. SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ENLISTED RESERVE CORPS (ERC) WITH THE 1875TH SERVICE UNIT FROM JULY 1942 TO APRIL 5, 1943. INDUCTED AND CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY ON APRIL 6, 1943. REPORTED TO THE RECEPTION CENTER AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA ON APRIL 12, 1943. ASSIGNED TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) AT FORT BENNING AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA DURING THE PERIOD JUNE 24, 1943 TO SEPTEMBER 18, 1943. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1943 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER. GRADUATED AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE INFANTRY ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1943. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT BRAGG AT FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WHERE HE JOINED THE 513TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 13TH AIRBORNE DIVISION. ALSO SERVED AT CAMP MACKALL AT HOFFMAN, NORTH CAROLINA. HIS REGIMENT WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE TENNESSEE MANEUVER AREA AND ASSIGNED TO THE 17TH AIRBORNE DIVISION IN MARCH, 1944. RELOCATED WITH HIS UNIT TO CAMP FORREST AT TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE IN MARCH, 1944. STAGED WITH HIS REGIMENT AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON AUGUST 13, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON AUGUST 20, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON AUGUST 28, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 513TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 17TH AIRBORNE 'GOLDEN TALON' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS UNIT TRAINED AT THE CAMP CHISLEDON STAGING AREA WHILE IN ENGLAND. HIS REGIMENT WAS FLOWN INTO REIMS, FRANCE BY EMERGENCY NIGHT FLIGHT ON DECEMBER 24, 1944 IN RESPONSE TO THE GERMAN ARDENNES COUNTEROFFENSIVE, AND CROSSED BY TRUCK INTO BELGIUM ON DECEMBER 25, 1944. HIS UNIT DEFENDED ALONG THE MEUSE RIVER UNTIL THE END OF 1944 AND THEN IN THE NEUFCHATEAU, BELGIUM AREA BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1945. HIS DIVISION ATTACKED TO SEIZE THE TOWN OF FLAMIERGE, BELGIUM, SOME 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF BASTOGNE, BELGIUM ON JANUARY 3, 1945, AGAINST STRONG OPPOSITION. HIS UNIT GAINED AND LOST GROUND AND SUSTAINED HEAVY LOSSES TO GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS. THEY TOOK THEIR OBJECTIVE ON JANUARY 7, 1945 AND FORCED THE GERMANS TO WITHDRAW. THEY PURSUED RETREATING GERMAN FORCES TO TAKE ESPELER AND WATERMAEL IN BELGIUM BY JANUARY 26, 1945. HE TOOK PART IN OPERATION 'VARSITY,' THE AIRBORNE ASSAULT EAST OF THE RHINE RIVER NORTH OF WESEL, GERMANY ON MARCH 24, 1945. WHILE CROSSING THE RHINE, HIS PLANE FLEW DIRECTLY OVER A CONCENTRATION OF GERMAN ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY UNITS, WAS HIT BY GERMAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND HE AND HIS MEN WERE FORCED TO BAIL OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AT SOME 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AS HE DESCENDED, HE LOOKED UP TO SEE HIS AIRCRAFT IN FLAMES AND EXPLODE IN THE AIR. ABOUT 2/3 OF THE C-46 'COMMANDO' TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT CARRYING HIS REGIMENT INTO BATTLE WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. MANY OF HIS FELLOW PARATROOPERS WERE KILLED AND HE WAS THE SOLE OFFICER IN HIS AIRCRAFT REMAINING ALIVE AFTER LANDING. ONCE ON THE GROUND, HE REORGANIZED HIS UNIT AND JOINED THE FIGHT. HIS DIVISION TOOK THE TOWN OF DIERSFORDT, GERMANY AND CONTAINED STRONG GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS. HIS REGIMENT ASSISTED IN THE ATTACK TOWARD DUELMEN, GERMANY, CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER AT WESEL ON MARCH 31, 1945 AND CLEARED MUENSTER ON APRIL 2-3, 1945. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE CITY OF MUENSTER ON APRIL 2, 1945, HIS UNIT ENCOUNTERED A FORTIFIED GERMAN ROADBLOCK. TANK ASSAULTS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL, AND THE ADVANCE WAS STALLED. HE RAN FORWARD ALONE, DESPITE ENEMY FIRE, CLIMBED THE 10-FOOT BLOCKADE AND INSPIRED HIS TROOPS TO FOLLOW. HIS COMPANY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ELIMINATING THE OBSTACLE AND ABLE TO CONTINUE THE ADVANCE INTO THE CITY. LIEUTENANT CLARK'S PERSONAL COURAGE, LEADERSHIP AND MISSION ORIENTATION EARNED HIM THE ARMY'S SECOND HIGHEST AWARD FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM DURING THIS ACTION: THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS. HIS DIVISION CONTINUED TO ADVANCE, CLEARED SCATTERED RESISTANCE FROM THE MULHEIM-DUISBURG SECTOR OF THE RUHR REGION ON APRIL 11, 1945 AND RECEIVED THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF DUISBURG ON APRIL 12, 1945. HIS UNIT WAS THEN ENGAGED IN MILITARY GOVERNMENT DUTIES UNTIL HOSTILITIES ENDED ON MAY 7, 1945. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, COMBAT PARACHUTIST BADGE WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD DEVICE AND 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH 'GERMANY' CLASP. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS REGIMENT AT WESEL, GERMANY. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN ACTIVE AND RESERVE COMPONENT SERVICE AND RETIRED WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.