World War II Honoree

Albert Patton Clark

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

In June 1942, he went to England as second in command of the 31st Fighter Group, the first American fighter unit in the European Theater of Operations. He was the first combat casualty in the European Theater for the U.S. Fighter Force and the first 8th Air Force pilot to become a Prisoner of War. He was shot down over Abbeville, France, in July 1942 and was a prisoner of war at German prison camp Stalag Luft III until April 1945. He was a manager of accumulation and hiding of supplies used in the 1944 breakout in which 76 Prisoners of War escaped. He had a secret pinhole camera and clandestinely documented his time at the camp.