Monona County

Darwin L. Clark

 

 

1st Rodney Youth Is Missing in Action

Rodney, Ia. --Special: Darwin L. Clark, 21, is the first Rodney youth to be reported missing in action somewhere in the Pacific.

Darwin is the son of Lawrence Clark, farmer living one and one-half miles west of Rodney, and enlisted in the radio division of the navy department two years ago.

He has two brothers, Doyle and Dean at home and two sisters, Davonne at home and Darlene who works at Toller's drug store In Sioux City.

Mrs. Lawrence Clark died this spring after a lingering illness.

Source: The Sioux City Journal, July 8, 1942 pg. 16 (photo included)

Our Neighbors in the Service

Rodney, Iowa—The purple heart medal has been awarded Darwin L. Clark, posthumously, missing in action since the action over Midway, June 4, 1942. The medal was sent to his father, Lawrence R. Clark. The flying cross was also sent to his father some time ago.

Source: The Sioux City Journal, April 26, 1943

Darwin Lawrence Clark was born Nov. 13, 1921 to Lawrence R. and Leona T. Rasmussen Clark. He died June 4, 1942 and is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing, Court 5, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Petty Officer Clark served in World War II with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8) with Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) and was MIA/FOD/KIA at sea in the Battle of Midway. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.

Source: ancestry.com