USS Clark (DD-361)
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The first USS ''Clark'' (DD-361) was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Charles E. Clark. ''Clark'' was launched 15 October 1935 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation's Fore River Shipyard,
Quincy, Massachusetts Quincy ( ) is a coastal U.S. city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county and a part of Greater Boston, Metropolitan Boston as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 1 ...
; sponsored by Mrs. S. Robinson; and commissioned 20 May 1936,
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
H. Thebaud in command.


Service history

''Clark''s prewar service included operations on the Atlantic coast, in the
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, and from Pearl Harbor, her home port from 1 April 1940. From 3 March to 10 April 1941, she joined in a cruise to Samoa, Australia, and
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. At the outbreak of World War II, she lay in overhaul at San Diego, California. ''Clark'' departed the west coast 27 December, escorted two convoys to Pearl Harbor, then took up antisubmarine patrol off Pago Pago, Samoa, and in February and March 1942 joined a carrier task force for air raids on New Guinea


World War II

From April through May 1942, ''Clark'' escorted four convoys on their passage between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco, California, continuing to Midway on the last. She returned to San Diego and Balboa, where she joined the escort of a convoy bound for Wellington, New Zealand. Between 12 August and 8 September, she sailed out of Nouméa,
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, screening oilers fueling carrier task forces, and then returned to Auckland for a month of duty escorting convoys from New Zealand to South Pacific island bases. After a final month of local escort and patrol duty at Nouméa, ''Clark'' sailed 11 December 1942 to report at Balboa as
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
for Commander, Southeast Pacific Force. Until 10 August 1944, ''Clark'' patrolled out of various South American ports, sailing then for an east coast overhaul. Between 4 September 1944 and 11 April 1945, she guarded the passage of six transatlantic convoys to ports in the United Kingdom and France. On 15 June 1945, she arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was decommissioned 23 October 1945 and scrapped 29 March 1946.


Awards

''Clark'' received two battle stars for World War II service.


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark (Dd-361) Porter-class destroyers World War II destroyers of the United States Ships built in Quincy, Massachusetts 1935 ships