THE WALL OF FACES

Jerry I still wear your POW/MIA bracelet daily. October 7th, 2017 I was honored to be on an Honor Flight for WW2 vets, Korea Vets and V/M vets. While attending the Wall I was given a rubbing of your name. Love you and still miss you to this day.
Former WOFWAC 64-2W class mate and fellow Aviator.
CW2 George Chapman

Jerry was a little older than my oldest sister but I remember him well. We attended the same church and we knew his family. When Jerry was pronounced missing in action we were all terribly devastated. Jerry was the first African American soldier we knew of who was lost in our community in Vietnam Nam. For years there was a cloud of mystery about how he died. I'm glad to hear that everything has come to light. I represent the Garrett family in thanking Jerry for his supreme sacrifice and service.

On December 15, 1965, CWO Jerry P. Clark departed Tuy Hoa in an Cessna O-1D Bird Dog aircraft (#554686), carrying a passenger to An Khe, RVN, arriving at 4:45 PM. Clark then departed An Khe at approximately 4:47 PM. Around 5:30 PM, he was being monitored by two other airborne craft when he declared an in-flight emergency, stating his engine battery had exploded and he had only 30 minutes fuel remaining. Clark was then located on top of an overcast cloud. Shortly thereafter, Clark transmitted, “Oh, it just quit, I am going on the beach.” Qui Nonh Airfield notified an airborne aircraft that Clark was going down approximately eight miles south of Qui Nonh. A rescue team was dispatched to the scene. The rescue team reconned the area, but did not see Clark. His aircraft was located twenty feet offshore in about five feet of water. The rescue aircraft was then driven off by ground fire and darkness. On December 16, 1965, a search operation was conducted by the 401st Scout Company (ARVN). Five villagers of Tuy Phung hamlet were gathered by the ARVN and were questioned by MACV intelligence advisors. They in essence stated that the plane landed in the water, the pilot swam to shore, and then returned to the plane. He apparently took some items from the plane, swam back to shore, and ran towards the mountains. No further trace of Clark was found by the Scout Company. He was listed as Missing in Action. In 1973, the Army officially declared Clark as dead. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org]

https://www.mu.iastate.edu/gold-star-hall-kiosk/all-by-name/jerry-clark/

CWO Clark, You are remembered and honored. O-1D 55-4686, MIA.