Gen. Mark W. Clark: A Soldier's Story

By JIM PURCELL

Gen. Mark Clark (1896-1984) has a soldier's story that reaches back to his 17th birthday, when he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, in 1913. His career would span a half-century and take him from the trenches of World War I to the presidency of the Citadel, South Carolina's Military College, in Charleston, South Carolina.

Then MG Mark W. Clark

Clark was from a military family and his father, Charles, had been a career infantry officer. He was born on May 1, 1896 at Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, New York. Clark's mother, Rebecca, was the daughter of Romanian Jews, but Clark chose to be baptised as Episcopalian while at West Point. Following his service in World War I, Clark went on to marry first wife Maurine Doran, in 1924. After a marriage that last more than 40 years, Clark's wife would pass away while he was still president at the Citadel.

While Clark was a cadet at West Point, he would be a part of the Class of 1915 and went to school with later Army luminaies Dwight D. Eisenhower, Matthew Ridgeway and J. Lawton Collins, to name just a few.

During Clark's service in the Great War (later dubbed 'World War I' following World War II) Clark served as a captain and company commander in France as a 22-year-old. Like his father, Clark had chosen to be commissioned in the Army's Infantry Branch. Clark's first command was Company K of the 3rd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment as part of the 5th Infantry Division. 

The 11th Inf. Regt.

Clark's company was placed in the Voseges Mountains and practiced trench warfare against their German adversaries. While assigned in the Voseges Mountains, 3rd Battalion commander Major R.E. Kingman fell ill and Clark replaced him. Two days after taking command of the battalion. Clark was injured with shrapnel wounds during an artillery attack. 

After convalescing in an Army hospital, Clark was judged by the Army to be unfit for further combat service and he was assigned to the Supply Section of the First Army. He held this post until the Armistice of November 11th, 1918 and briefly served as part of the U.S. Army of Occupation in Germany following the war. 

An Army officer's career can be advanced significantly during a war. And, during World War I Clark had not only served as a combat leader at the company level but also on the battalion level. These things were significant when the Army next considered what to do with Clark during the Interwar Years of 1919-1941. 

World War I Victory Medal

From 1921-1924, Clark was singled-out to serve as an aide in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War. This is an enormous opportunity that directly reflected Clark's wartime service. After this tour in Washington, DC, Clark was selected as a staff officer for the 30th Infantry Regiment, then stationed at The Presidio in San Francisco. 

Finally, Clark was promoted to the rank of major after he was assigned as deputy commander of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Nebraska. After performing well at the CCC appointment, Clark was then elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel when he was plaed on the staff of newly appointed Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. 

World War II: America's Youngest General

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during December 7th, 1941 sent America crashing headlong into World War II. The Army, like the rest of the military services, were in desperate need of senior officers. In a small space of time the Army had to grow from a relatively small standing force to an Army large enough and strong enough to facedown not only Hitler's Nazi War Machine but also the Imperial forces of Japan. And, Clark was key to this expansion.

World War II Victory Medal

In April, 1942, Clark was elevated to the rank of Major General, two weeks shy of his 46th birthday. This made him the youngest Major General in the Army. He was then placed in command of II Corps. Along with Eisenhower, Clark was sent to England on temporary duty to estimate the possibility of a cross-channel invasion by the Allies during 1942. After surveying the situation, the two friends from West Point concluded that such an invasion was not possibile that year. 

After the Channel crossing was ruled out, attention was turned to a North African invasion, codenamed "Torch," to baptize American soldiers into World War  II. While Eisenhower was named as Supreme Allied Commander of all Allief Forces, Clark was then assigned to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations as deputy commander. However, in transferring between assignments, it was Clark's duty to prepare II Corps for combat in North Africa before giving up his duties at the unit. So impressed by Clark's efforts in this role, he promoted Clark to the rank of Lieutenant General on November 11, 1942, three days after the Torch landings. 

Clark had begun a rapid ascent up the chain of command, which fostered some resentment by commanders who were formerly his superiors. One such commander was Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., who eyed Clark with some resentment. 

Clark took over as the commanding general of British and American forces for the invasion of Salerno (codenamed "Operation Avalanche"). Initially the invasion went well, but, after initial success, the invasion stalled. Despite this frustration, Clark was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and given command of the Fifth Army, comprised of U.S. and British Forces. 

With this army, Clark would attack German and Italian forces up the spine of the Italian mainland. Clark's army liberated Naples, Monte Cassino and even Rome during 1944. It was Clark who received the German surrender in Italy during Spring of 1945. After these victories, Clark gave up command of the Fifth Army to former 3rd U.S. Infantry Division commander LTG Lucian Truscott. He was then given command of the 15th Army Group and presided over surrendered Italy for the balance of the war. On March 10th, 1945, Clark was promoted to the rank of full general, which he would hold for the balance of his life.

Gen. Mark Clark

Post World War II, Korea, Later Career

Following the war, Clark was named as Commander in Chief of US Forces of Occupation in Austria. He gained experience dealing with communist nations there. Hence, it was not a surprise when he was given the nod to serve as deputy to the US Secretary of State in 1947. Then, it was back to the Presidio in San Francisco, where he was named commander of Army Field Forces.

During the Korean War, Clark took over as commander of the United Nations Command from General Matthew Ridgway. Clark commanded Allied U.N. Forces until the armistice, which took place on July 27th, 1953. 

From 1954-1955, Clark was head of the so-called "Clark Task Force," which examined all intelligence gathering operations throughout the Federal Government. 

Clark retired from the military service in 1965. He would then become president of The Citadel, in South Carolina. 

Clark and his first wife had a son and a daughter, Major William Doran Clark and Patricia Ann Clark-Oosting. Following the death of his first wife, he married Mary Dean. The couple did not have any children. After his tenure as president of The Citadel, Clark went on to reside in South Carolina until his death on April 17th, 1984.