Photo Credit: Adithya Sambamurthy, The Bay Citizen

Carl Clark (above, photographed in his Menlo Park home) saved his ship and his shipmates in May 1945 from kamikaze pilots, but was never recognized until last week.

Last Wednesay, a man who served his country received the honor and appreciation that had been embarrassingly delayed for almost seven decades.

Steward First Class Carl E. Clark, 95, resident of Menlo Park, received The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with the Combat Distinguishing Device at Moffet Field. He was awarded by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), who organized the ceremony.

Clark received the honor because of his brave actions on May 3, 1945, when he saved the lives of his comrades and the life of his ship, the U.S.S. Aaron Ward, in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite a broken collarbone, Clark carried his shipmates to the aid station and put out fires with a hose normally carried by eight or more sailors as kamikaze pilots attacked the ship. He received only a Purple Heart, for his injury.

Clark was not awarded further for his act of heroism specifically because he was African-American, and his white superiors found it unnecessary to even note his bravery in the official report. He did not rise in rank, and stayed a low-rank Steward.

“Racism robbed Carl of recognition,” said Rep. Eshoo.

He is the reason his ship and so many of his shipmates survived that night.

After World War II, Clark returned to the Bay Area, married, had a family, who was in full attendance at the ceremony, and continued to live, engaged in his community.

When Foothill College instructor Sheila Dunec learned of Clark’s story in 1999, she felt that the injustice he faced should be brought to the attention of Congresswoman Eshoo. Because of her, he was officially recognized as a hero on that January day.

Clark now “joins other pioneers such as…the Tuskegee Airmen,” as Secretary Mabus notes. Secretary Mabus also notes that these men went beyond the call of duty, “At a time when their nation, our nation, did not always live up to the principles that [they] served to protect”.

This breathtaking ceremony marked changing times in American history, as American actions are noted as not always the greatest moments, but also correcting injustices. It shows that our country is progressing forward to better times, times we can be proud of.

Clark said in his speech that he would receive the honor in memory of African Americans who had served and whose deaths and actions were never noted.

“Those men went down with their ships,” he said, “I want to share this honor with all of those men.”