Melvin Vernell Clark
The News-Examiner, Thursday, March 14,
1957, page 1
GEORGETOWN OFFICER KILLED IN CRASH
First Lieutenant Melvin Vernell Clark, 27, son of Mrs. and Mrs. Melvin J Clark of Georgetown, was killed when the jet airplane in which he was a navigator crashed on the afternoon of March 5. Word came first Wednesday morning of last week to the effect that Lieutenant Clark was missing in flight between Jacksonville, Florida and Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Georgia. This information was sent by Lieutenant Colonel Weston M Lennox, flight commander at Wurtsmith AFB Oscoda, Michigan home base of Lieutenant Clark.
Saturday another telegram was received from Colonel T M Wilson, commander Wurtsmith AFB stating the plane had been found and Lieutenant Clark had been killed in the crash. Lieutenant Clark had informed his parents March 5 by telegram from Jacksonville that he would be in Ogden sometime the following day, Wednesday and he would call them from Denver as to time of arrival so they could meet him. While waiting for the telephone call, the telegram came to the parents with the tragic message their son was missing.
Born October 26, 1929 in Georgetown, Lieutenant Clark attended schools there, graduating from Georgetown high school, Mary 14, 1948. After attending USAC at Logan for two years, he served a two year mission for the LDS Church in the eastern states 1950-52. While in the mission field he participated in two Book of Mormon Pageants at Palmyra, New York. He was an elder in the church and graduated from the LDS Institute, Logan in 1954. He was a member of Delta Phi, honorary fraternity of returned missionaries.
Following his mission, Lieutenant Clark re-entered the USAC graduating in June 1954. He also received his commission as second lieutenant in the same month and began flight training at Lockland AFB Houston, Texas. He took advance training at James Connally AFB Waco, Texas. In March of 1956 he received further advance training at Moody AFB Valdosta, Georgia. He was promoted to first lieutenant in March 1956. On completing training at Moody AFB he was stationed at Wurtsmith AFB Michigan.
Apparently Lieutenant Clark along with his
pilot had been ferrying planes when the accident occurred. Information
concerning pilot and circumstances of the crash were not immediately available.
Besides his parents, Melvin J and LaReva Bacon Clark, he is survived by one
brother, Sheldon L Clark of Georgetown; and three sisters, Lula Clark, a teacher
of US Air Force personnel at Semback AFB Germany, Beryl Clark and Gail Clark,
both of Monterey Park, California.