Arthur Clark

Arthur B. "Buddy" Clark passed away on March 24, 2009. He was 87 years of age. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Wanda Clark. He was close to his children - Prissy Jackson and husband, Larry from Round Rock, Mark Clark and wife, Janet of Highland Village, Errol Clark of Abilene, and Shelly Beale and husband, Paul of Abilene. Clark has three surviving sisters; Lucille Byars of Merkel, Norma Loudermilk of Abilene and Pat Cooper of Katy. He and Wanda also have five grandchildren including Lisa Hays and Michael Carlile both Spring, Cheryl Hart of Austin, Timothy Clark of West Point, NY and Brooke Beale of Abilene, along with seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Locally, Clark was probably best known for his service as Museum Curator for Abilene's Commemorative Air Force Museum at Elmdale airport. He loved educating children that visited the museum about what it means to be free. Freedom is one thing Clark is an expert on. After joining the Army National Guard in November 1940, his unit - the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery of the 36th Division - was soon mobilized into the regular Army. Before Pearl Harbor was even attacked, his unit was sent to the Pacific on a secret mission by President Roosevelt code named "Plum." The unit was diverted to Australia after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines on December 7, 1941. Sent on to the island of Java just north of Australia, the 558 men of Clark's unit is recorded in US military history as being part of the first offensive action against the Japanese. Tasked to stop the Japanese advance until the US could gear up for war their island was soon surrounded. The Japanese invaded Java on March 1, 1942 with a force of 35,000 combat hardened Japanese troops using 173 combat and troop ships. Clark's unit of 558 men and associated allies on the island became engaged in a series of running gun battles. Under Dutch command and out of ammunition Clark's unit was forced to surrender. Now Prisoner's of War, along with survivors of the USS Houston, Clark and most other Americans were sent to work as slaves in Burma. At the point of a bayonet the POWs were tasked to build a 261 mile long railroad through steaming jungles, over 800 river crossings, and through mountains. The Japanese worked Clark and the others 18-21 hours a day, 7 days a week. Torture, starvation rations, disease, lack of nutrition, and exposure took a great toll. By the time the railroad was completed, 133 Americans of the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery - most of which were from Abilene, Decatur, Jacksboro and Wichita Falls - had died on the "Death Railway" along with 85,400 others. After the railroad was completed the Japanese moved Clark to camps near the infamous "Bridge on the River Kwai" in Thailand. He cut wood for fueling steam trains at nearby camp Kaorin. He stole food for himself and others and sabotaged locomotives in the camp's engine repair shops. With blown engines, the stationary trains made inviting targets for roving allied B-24 Bombers. Learning of Japanese plans to murder POWs if the Americans were to invade Japan, American OSS Agents rescued Clark and the remaining 9 Americans from Kaorin. Flown out of the jungle in August 1945, Clark had been a POW for 3 ½ years. He was soon reunited with his family, but not before their military transport pilot circled the Statue of Liberty for them twice. Among Clark's numerous awards were the Purple Heart and two Presidential Unit Citations. Post war, Clark loved his family and friends and had the respect of everyone that knew him. Most never knew the details of his military service. While Clark always said the real heroes were left behind in the jungle, now you know they did not all stay behind. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. A graveside service with military honors will immediately follow at Elmwood Memorial Park located at 5750 Highway 277 South. Visitation will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Christian Service Center, 901 Mesquite, Abilene, Texas 79601; Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3364 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, Texas 79605; Confederate Air Force; or to the charity of the donor's choice.