World War II Honoree

Carless L. Clark

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pineola, North Carolina

Honored By

Mark A. Kukucka

Relationship

Grandson

INDUCTED FEBRUARY 25, 1944 RICHMOND, VIRGINIA; TRAINING AT GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING STATION, ILLINOIS FROM FEBRUARY 26, 1944 TO APRIL 19, 1944; TRAINING AT NAVAL RECEIVING BARRACKS, SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA FROM APRIL 23, 1944 TO APRIL 30, 1944; REPORTED ABOARD THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 ON MAY 7, 1944 AND SERVED AS FOLLOWS: FROM JUNE 14-22, 1944 AND JULY 22 TO AUGUST 2, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND ASSAULT OF SAIPAN AND TINIAN, MARIANA ISLANDS DURING WHICH TIME THIS SHIP RECEIVED RETURN FIRE AND HITS FROM ENEMY SHORE BATTERIES ON TINIAN; FROM JULY 19-21, 1944 AND AUGUST 3-9, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND OCCUPATION OF GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS; FROM SEPTEMBER 12-28, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND OCCUPATION OF ANGAUR ISLAND, PALAU GROUP, WEST CAROLINE ISLANDS. FROM OCTOBER 18-29, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND OCCUPATION OF LEYTE ISLAND, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DURING THIS TIME, THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 WAS UNDER NUMEROUS JAPANESE AIR ATTACKS. ON OCTOBER 25, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF SURIGAO STRAITS, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DURING THIS SURFACE ENGAGEMENT, THIS VESSEL DELIVERED HEAVY FIRE ON JAPANESE WAR SHIPS; FROM FEBRUARY 16, 1945 TO MARCH 7, 1945, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND ASSAULT OF IWO JIMA, VOLCANO ISLANDS; FROM MARCH 25, 1945 TO JUNE 21, 1945, PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBARDMENT AND ASSAULT OF OKINAWA SHIMA, OKINAWA GUNTO, RYUKYU ISLANDS. DURING THIS OPERATION, THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 SUCCESSFULLY ASSISTED IN REPELLING NUMEROUS ENEMY AIR ATTACKS AND WAS STRUCK BY A JAPANESE SUICIDE PLANE ON 12 APRIL 1945; FROM JULY 1, 1945 TO AUGUST 10, 1945, SERVED ONBOARD THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 DURING THE ABOVE PERIOD WHILE PARTICIPATING IN MINE SWEEPING OPERATIONS IN THE EAST CHINA SEA, AND AS A SUPPORTING FORCE FOR CARRIERS WHO DELIVERED AIR STRIKES AGAINST ENEMY INSTALLATIONS IN THE AREA OF SHANGHAI CHINA AND THE SADDLE AND PARKER ISLANDS; SERVED ON BOARD THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 DURING THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN AS FOLLOWS: WAKAYAMA HARBOR, HONSHU, JAPAN, SEPTEMBER 22, 1945 TO OCTOBER 2, 1945, OCTOBER 8, 1945 TO OCTOBER 15, 1945 TOKYO BAY, HONSHU, JAPAN, OCTOBER 3, 1945 TO OCTOBER 7, 1945. HONORABLE DISCHARGE: DECEMBER 12, 1945; AWARDS: ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA CAMPAIGN MEDAL, BRONZE STAR ON THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC SERVICE RIBBON, BRONZE STAR ON THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION CAMPAIGN RIBBON.