Fallen Vietnam soldier honored 50 years later

Aug. 21 event remembers 17 local Vietnam War soldiers killed in action

A 1964 graduate of Jefferson City High School, Dale Clark enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 1965 and deployed to Vietnam in November of that year.
A 1964 graduate of Jefferson City High School, Dale Clark enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 1965 and deployed to Vietnam in November of that year.

Cole County lost the first of 17 young men in the Vietnam War 50 years ago next Sunday.

To remember U.S. Marine Corpsman Dale Clark and the other lives lost in that conflict, Honoring Cole County's Fallen Heroes of the Vietnam War will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 21 in the Jefferson City National Cemetery.

Local author Jeremy Amick told Clark's story in the Sept. 24, 2015, News Tribune.

As it is the 50th anniversary of his death, "I thought it would be fitting to pay tribute to him and all Cole County servicemen," Amick said.

Because Clark was a Marine, Amick enlisted Darren Reuter with the local Marine Corps League. Reuter, who also is a captain with the Jefferson City Fire Department, coordinated with the American Legion Riders to host a third cemetery run prior to the ceremony.

The first cemetery run took place in November 2013 with the opening of Freedom's Corner at the intersection of East McCarty and East High streets. A second was held in September 2015 during the Moving Wall display at the Capitol.

This cemetery run will start at noon at the Sears parking lot at Capital Mall. Anyone on a motorcycle or in a military-style vehicle is invited to join the group, which will stop at several cemeteries within the city limits as well as Freedom Corner and the Veteran Memorial at the Capitol.

At each stop, a chaplain will lead a short memorial service.

"We'll show our support for our troops - those who've gone before us and those who serve now," Reuter said. "It's all about being patriotic for our troops."

The Sunday event has received strong response so far on social media, Amick said.

"Vietnam (War-related) events seem to draw pretty big crowds," he said. "We did not treat all of them properly when they returned."

Jefferson City was unlike the east and west coasts, however, Amick said. When news of Clark's death reached his hometown in 1966, the mayor at the time, John Christy, asked residents to fly their flags at half-staff and later passed a proclamation.

Similarly, present Mayor Carrie Tergin will declare Dale Clark Day in a proclamation at the event.

Local resident Mark Schreiber, who grew up with Clark, will share his memories.

A two-bell ceremony for each of the 17 lost in Vietnam will follow.

The 17 names were gathered from the National Archive of those who listed Cole County as their address on record, Amick said.

Clark graduated from Jefferson City High School in 1964 and attended one year at Lincoln University before enlisting June 15, 1965. He was sent to Vietnam in November 1965 as a rifleman with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division.

A grenade attached to Clark's equipment after returning from a patrol in Da Nang Aug. 19, 1966, exploded and killed him, Clark's younger brother Dan told Amick.

Clark was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Vietnam Service medals.