World War II Honoree

Henry William Clark III

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Saint Louis, Missouri

Honored By

Martha, Carolyn, Bill & Jim

Relationship

Wife, Daughter & Sons

JOINED THE U.S. ARMY IN MARCH 1943, AGE 33, AS A PRIVATE IN BASIC TRAINING WITH COMPANY D, 55TH INFANTRY TRAINING BATTALION, CAMP WOLTERS, TEXAS PRIOR TO ATTENDING A SCHEDULED OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) CLASS. THOSE CLASSES WERE CANCELLED WHEN THE ARMY DETERMINED IT HAD ENOUGH OFFICERS. GIVEN THE OPTION OF A DISCHARGE OR STAYING AS AN ENLISTED MAN, HE TOOK THE DISCHARGE. HE THEN JOINED THE MERCHANT MARINE AND GRADUATED JANUARY 1945 AS A RADIO OPERATOR FROM THE U.S. MARITIME SERVICE RADIO TRAINING STATION, GALLUPS ISLAND, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. FEBRUARY 1945 SIGNED ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS ELISA P. MITCHELL, IN SAN FRANCISCO AS THE THIRD RADIO OPERATOR. SAILED TO SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA; ORO BAY, NEW GUINEA; MANILA TO BATANGAS HARBOR, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. SPENT 140 DAYS AT ANCHOR. WITNESSED THE AUGUST 16, 1945 FIRE, WITH THREE-STORY FLAMES, IN HOLD NUMBER 5 WHICH TOOK 3 HOURS TO PUT OUT. HOLD 5 WAS CARRYING PARACHUTE FLARES, 50 CALIBER, 20MM, 500 POUND BOMBS, DEPTH BOMBS AND BOMB TAIL FINS. DISCHARGED FEBRUARY 1946 IN GALVESTON, TEXAS.