Joseph J. Clark | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Nickname | "Jocko" |
| Born | (1893-11-12)12 November 1893 |
| Died | 13 July 1971(1971-07-13) (aged 77) St. Albans, New York, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Service years | 1917–1953 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands | Suwannee (ACV-27) Yorktown (CV-10) Task Group 58.1/38.1 Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) 7th Fleet |
| Conflicts | World War I World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit |
Joseph James Clark (12 November 1893 – 13 July 1971) was an admiral in theUnited States Navy who commandedaircraft carriers duringWorld War II. During theKorean War, he led again a carrier Task Force and subsequently commanded the7th Fleet. Born and raised inIndian Territory (which later became part ofOklahoma) and a member of theCherokee Nation, in 1917 he became the first Native American to be graduated from theUnited States Naval Academy.[1] Clark preferred to be called "J. J." or by the nickname "Jocko" instead of his full name.
Joseph J. Clark was born to William A. and Lillie Berry Clark inPryor in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Nation before it became part of the state of Oklahoma.[a] His father was a member of the Cherokee Nation. Joseph attended Willie Halsell College inVinita, Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now namedOklahoma State University) inStillwater, Oklahoma, prior to being appointed to theU.S. Naval Academy, where he played on the lacrosse and soccer teams. He was commissioned as Ensign upon graduating in 1917. Clark's nickname, "Jocko", originated at the Naval Academy: on one of his first days there, he was standing in ranks when a classmate called out "The Right Reverend J. Jonathan Jockey Clark!"[2] His wife,Olga Clark,néé Chubarova, was the widow of chess world championJosé Raúl Capablanca.[3]
Although Clark was officially a member of the Class of 1918 at theU.S. Naval Academy, he actually was graduated with the class of 1917. He was first posted to the cruiserUSS North Carolina, which was convoying troops across the Atlantic Ocean. After World War I ended, he remained in the permanent navy, serving at sea aboard the destroyersUSS Aaron Ward,USS Aulick, andUSS Brooks in the Middle East. He was commandingBrooks on his return to the U.S., then was put in command of theUSS Bulmer.Bulmer was assigned to American Relief Administration and Near East Relief. Clark returned to the U.S. in 1923 and was posted as an instructor at the Naval Academy during 1923–1924. He then went toNAS Pensacola in Florida for flight training and graduated as a naval aviator on 16 March 1925.
Clark served a wide variety of posts throughout the rest of the 1920s and the 1930s. In 1925, he helped CommanderJohn Rodgers prepare for the first West Coast–Hawaii flight in 1925, receiving a letter of commendation for this service. In 1926, he served as senior aviation officer aboard theUSS Mississippi. The next year, he was an aide to the Commander, Battleship Division Three, and served as division aviation officer. From 1928 to 1931, Clark was executive officer,NAS Anacostia, in Washington, D.C., and during the next two years was commanding officer of Fighting Squadron Two, attached to the aircraft carrierUSS Lexington.
He was the aeronautical member of the Board of Inspection and Survey, Navy Department, from 1933 to July 1936, and during his next tour of sea duty July 1936 to June 1937, served as theLexington's assistant air officer andcarrier representative[4] at Fleet Air Detachment,NAS San Diego, California. From July 1937, to May 1939, he was executive officer of the Fleet Air Base, Pearl Harbor. He then served as inspector of naval aircraft at theCurtiss Aircraft Corporation, Buffalo, New York.
Clark was then sent toNAS Jacksonville, Florida, as executive officer from December 1940 until May 1941. He was then posted to theUSS Yorktown as Executive Officer. He was in that position when theJapanese attacked Pearl Harbor and returned to his former post withYorktown in time to participate in raids on theGilbert andMarshall Islands.
_1943.jpg)
At the start of U.S. involvement in World War II, Clark was known as an aggressive commander, ready to take his group into battle.[5] He commanded theescort carrierUSS Suwannee in the Atlantic Ocean and off the coast of North Africa during the allied landings of November 1942 (Operation Torch). He then assumed command of the newly commissionedUSS Yorktown (CV-10).[b] During Clark's command,Yorktown became the setting for the documentaryThe Fighting Lady, which detailed World War II aircraft carrier operations. In the documentary, Clark is identified only by his nickname of "Jocko" and is voiced byHarry Morgan.[6]
In January 1944,Vice AdmiralMarc Mitscher made theYorktown his flagship. Mitscher was impressed with Clark's seamanship and fighting spirit. In February 1944, Clark was promoted torear admiral and was transferred temporarily toTask Force 58 while still reporting to Mitscher, who was then commanding theFast Carrier Task Force in theFifth Fleet. Since all of the task group command slots were occupied, Clark hoisted his flag aboard the new aircraft carrierUSS Hornet (CV-12).[c][d] But Mitscher soon became disappointed with the performance of Rear AdmiralCharles Alan Pownall commanding Task Group 3 and replaced him with Clark. Clark commanded this group in theMarianas campaign, and on multiple occasions his task group was sent north to interdict Japanese aircraft shuttling down from Japan via intermediate islands. His air groups executed air attacks on the shuttle islands ofChichi Jima andIwo Jima so often that the sailors of the Fast Carrier Task Force nicknamed them the "Jocko Jimas".[7][e]
Clark commanded his task group in conjunction with the rest of Task Force 58 in theBattle of the Philippine Sea. His flagship was the carrierHornet. On the second day of the battle, with his planes returning after sundown, Clark ordered his ships to light up, allowing most planes to land safely.[8]
Clark commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) during theKorean War. He was later promoted tovice admiral and rose to command the7th Fleet. While in Command of the7th Fleet, he took theUSS New Jersey as his flagship. Before retiring from the Navy on December 1, 1953, he was promoted to the rank ofadmiral.
After retiring from the navy, he lived in New York City, where he was chairman of Hegeman - Harris, Inc., an investment company.[1]
He was made an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee Nations.[1]
Clark died on 13 July 1971, at the naval hospital inSt. Albans, New York.[1] He is buried inArlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 2525-B.[9]
His many awards and medals include theNavy Cross,Navy Distinguished Service Medal,Silver Star,Legion of Merit with Combat "V",Navy Commendation Medal and theKorean Order of Military Merit. In addition to these most commonly mentioned, he also received the following:Army Distinguished Service Medal for service in Korea,Silver Star Medal,Commendation Ribbon withCombat "V",Army Commendation Ribbon, Ribbon with stars for thePresidential Unit Citation to the USSSuwanee, USSYorktown, and USSHornet; Victory Medalsfor World War I andfor World War II;American Defense Service Medal;European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with one star),Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal (with twelveservice stars) Campaign Medal, thePhilippine Liberation Ribbon (one star),Korean Service Medal (one star),United Nations Service Medal, and theNational Defense Service Medal.
Clark's flag lieutenant was historianClark G. Reynolds's uncle. Reynolds was chosen to co-author Clark's autobiography, and later wrote his own biography of Clark.[10]
Clark was inducted into theOklahoma Hall of Fame in 1952.[11]
TheNational Aeronautic Association honored him in 1969 with theElder Statesman of Aviation Award.[1]
In 1979, the guided-missilefrigateUSS Clark (FFG-11) was named in his honor.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
