USS Clark

USS Clark, DD 361, was launched 16 October 1935 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Mass., sponsored by Mrs. S. Robinson, and commissioned 20 May 1936 Commander H. Thebaud in command.

Destroyer Squadron 3
1 October 1941

USS Clark, DD 361, Flagship

Destroyer Division 5
USS Cassin, DD 372, Flagship
USS Reid, DD 369
USS Conyngham, DD 371
USS Downes, DD 375

Destroyer Division 6
USS Case, DD 370, Flagship
USS Shaw, DD 373
USS Cummings, DD 365
USS Tucker, DD 374

   Clark's prewar service included operations on the Atlantic coast, in the Caribbean and from Pearl Harbor, her home port from 1 April 1940. From 3 March to 10 April 1941, she joined in a cruise to Samoa Australia, and Fiji. At the outbreak of the war, she lay in overhaul at San Diego. Clark departed the west coast 27 December, escorted two convoys to Pearl Harbor, then took up antisubmarine patrol off Pago Pago Samoa, and in February

Charles E. Clark was borh 10 August 1843 at Bradford, Vermont. An 1863 graduate of the Naval Academy, he commanded Ossipee at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
   Commanding Oregon at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, he brought her around Cape Horn in time to participate in the Battle of Santiago.
   Promoted rear admiral for this accomplishment in 1902, he died 1 October 1922 at Long Beach, California.

and March 1942 joined a carrier task force for air raids on New Guinea.
   From April through May 1942, Clark escorted four convoys on their passage between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco, continuing to Midway on the last. She returned to San Diego and Balboa, where she joined the escort of a convoy bound for Wellington, New Zealand. Between 12 August and 8 September, she sailed out of Nouméa, New Caledonia, screening oilers fueling carrier task forces, then returned to Auckland for a month of duty escorting convoys from New Zealand to South Pacific island bases. After a final month of local escort and patrol duty at Nouméa, Clark sailed 11 December 1942 to report at Balboa as flagship for Commander, Southeast Pacific Force.
   Until 10 August 1944, Clark patrolled out of various South American ports, sailing then for an east coast overhaul. Between 4 September 1944 and 11 April 1945, she guarded the passage of six transatlantic convoys to ports in the United Kingdom and France. On 16 June 1946, she arrived at Philadelphia, where she was decommissioned 23 October 1945 and scrapped 29 March 1946.
   Clark received two battle stars for World War II service.


Source: Naval Historical Center including Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.


Double click anywhere to return to the top of this page.
Copyright © 2008 Destroyer History Foundation.