World War II Honoree

Billy C. 'Bill' Clark

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Drumright, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN FEBRUARY, 1943 AT AGE 20. AFTER ATTENDING RADAR SCHOOL, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS A RADARMAN TO THE DESTROYER ESCORT SHIP USS J. RICHARD WARD (DE-243). HE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL COMMISSIONING CREW (‘PLANK OWNER’) FOR THE VESSEL WHICH WAS COMMISSIONED ON JULY 5, 1943. HIS DUTIES AS RADARMAN INCLUDED STANDING RADAR WATCH FOR LONG PERIODS, USING AND REGULATING RADAR EQUIPMENT, CONVERTING RELATIVE BEARINGS TO TARGETS AND NAVIGATION REFERENCE POINTS AND READING RANGES, AND PLOTTING COORDINATES. FOLLOWING SHAKEDOWN TRAINING IN WATERS OFF BERMUDA, OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD, HIS SHIP ARRIVED AT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1943 AND JOINED ATLANTIC CONVOY ESCORT FORCES. SERVED INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AND OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. HIS SHIP’S PRIMARY ROLE WAS TO PROTECT CONVOYS FROM GERMAN U-BOATS (SUBMARINES), BUT ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ANTI-SUBMARINE OPERATIONS. THE DESTROYER MADE THREE ROUND-TRIP CONVOY VOYAGES BETWEEN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND GIBRALTAR, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, IN SUPPORT OF THE ALLIED EFFORT IN EUROPE. THE SHIP WAS ASSIGNED TO A ‘HUNTER-KILLER’ ANTI-SUBMARINE GROUP IN MARCH, 1944; DEPARTED NEW YORK ON MARCH 15, 1944 AND PATROLLED THE ATLANTIC BETWEEN THE BRAZILIAN COAST AND THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS, LOCATED ABOUT 350 MILES OFF WESTERN AFRICA, UNTIL RETURNING TO NEW YORK ON JUNE 18, 1944. IN AUGUST, 1944, THE DESTROYER WAS ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER ‘HUNTER-KILLER’ GROUP AND SEARCHED THE ATLANTIC FOR GERMAN SUBMARINES, MAKING SEVERAL ATTACKS ON SOUND CONTACTS, BEFORE RETURNING TO NEW YORK ON OCTOBER 9, 1944. USS WARD SAILED AGAIN ON JANUARY 24, 1945 FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL IN THE HEAVY WEATHER OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN AREA, AND RETURNED ON MARCH 28, 1945. HIS SHIP WAS AT SEA ON ITS FINAL ATLANTIC CRUISE WHEN GERMANY UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERED ON MAY 8, 1945. HIS DESTROYER RETURNED TO NEW YORK ON MAY 11, 1945. AFTER MODERNIZATION AT BOSTON NAVY YARD IN MASSACHUSETTS, HIS WARSHIP SAILED ON JUNE 28, 1945 TO JOIN THE PACIFIC FLEET IN HAWAII, VIA THE CARIBBEAN AND PANAMA CANAL. EN ROUTE, THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS ON AUGUST 14, 1945. AFTER ARRIVAL AT PEARL HARBOR ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1945, THE SHIP SCREENED FLIGHT OPERATIONS. HE SERVED BRIEFLY OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER BEFORE RETURNING TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 17, 1945. AFTER TRANSITING THE PANAMA CANAL AND STOPPING AT NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, THE VESSEL ARRIVED AT GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA ON DECEMBER 13, 1945 AND WAS DECOMMISSIONED. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON DECEMBER 7, 1945 WITH THE RATE OF PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.