World War II Honoree

Wilbur Russell Clark

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Fort Collins, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Water Tender Second Class. Inducted into the United States Navy November 15, 1939 with induction at Denver, Colorado, completing recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to the USS Monssen Destroyer, DD-798 for duty, with the responsibility for tending to the Boiler Room fires in the ship's engine room. Thursday, November 12, 1942 the Destroyer and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Warships Rendezvous’ off-shore of Guadalcanal Island Location: South Western Pacific Theater of Operations. The task force intercepted an Imperial Japanese Naval fleet, which was en-route to Guadalcanal to relieve their beleaguered armed forces fighting on the island. Thursday, November 12, 1942 he was reported missing in action, when the Destroyer was sunk by enemy naval cannon fire, during his participation in the Battle-of-Guadalcanal. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Louisville Cemetery Louisville, Colorado. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.