THE WALL OF FACES

Lonnie........Honoring you on your birthday....Never forgotten.....God Bless

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up and answering your country's call. Rest easy knowing you will never be forgotten.

Corporal Clark was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor for his exemplary courage under fire while serving with the 1st Marine Air Wing.

Dear Cpl Lonnie Clark,
Thank you for your service as an Aircraft CNE/Weapons/DECM Systems Technician (Helicopters.) Your 73rd birthday is soon. Happy Birthday. December has begun, along with all the preparations. It is so important for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

CPL Lonnie W. Clark was a CH-46A crew chief, serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 (HMM 164). On February 23, 1968, CPL Clark was part of a crew in a two-plane flight of CH-46’s carrying external loads of supplies from Phu Bai to Hue. Clark was lying prone on the floor of the helicopter, directing the pickup/placement of the load through the “hellhole,” a square hatch in the floor of the CH-46. He was not wearing a ballistic (armored) vest, supposedly because someone else had taken Clark’s vest to be used for a prior mission, and he was unable to get another. While flying over some rice fields, the helicopter was hit by ground fire and Clark was wounded. He was angry after he got shot, as he reportedly had pounded his fist on the deck several times. He was brought back to Phu Bai where he succumbed to his injuries. [Taken from popasmoke.com]