Eugene Louis Clark

Military
Lieutenant Colonel Eugene "Pop" Clark of the 352nd Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La Riena Peg " Bodney, April 1944. Written on slide casing: '4/44 Bodney, Lt Col E Clark. PE-Z, 42106459 La Riena Peg.' media-388397.jpg FRE 6036 Lieutenant Colonel Eugene "Pop" Clark of the 352nd Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La Riena Peg " Bodney, April 1944. Written on slide casing: '4/44 Bodney, Lt Col E Clark. PE-Z, 42106459 La Riena Peg.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 6036 - Lieutenant Colonel Eugene "Pop" Clark of the 352nd Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La...

Lieutenant Colonel 'Pop' Clark served as a pilot with the 352nd Fighter Group.



On 21 May 1944 he was shot down. It was his 94th mission.

He crashed at Hastrup in P-51 42-103316 and was taken as a Prisoner of War (POW). He was liberated in April 1945.



After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. He completed 2 tours of duty in the Panama Canal zone. He led a group pilots flying over water in F-80 plane from Howard AFB to the Carribean. He served as inspector for the 4th AF in Japan. He retired from the US Air Force as a full colonel.



He continued to fly up to the age of 74.



DFC, PH, SS, AM 3Oak Leaf Cluster, EAME, Victory



4.5 victories

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group Headquarters (352nd Fighter Group)
A P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La Riena Peg " of the 352nd Fighter Group at Bodney, April 1944. Written on slide casing: '4/44 Bodney, Lt Col E Clark. PE-Z, 42106459 La Riena Peg.'
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: La Riena Peg
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Panama Papacito
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Bodney airfield, looking south east, the barrack sites are in the top centre of the image, 8 June 1945. Photograph taken by No. 542 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/369. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Royal Air Force Bodney
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Clairton, Pennsylvania 11 May 1911

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 21 May 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III.

Other

Shot down

Hastrup, 49593 Bersenbrück, Germany 21 May 1944 Crashed at Hastrup in P-51 42-103316 and was taken as a Prisoner of War (POW).

Died

26 January 1987

Buried/ Commemorated

Interred Arlington National Cemetery

Based

Bodney 21 May 1944 Assigned to HQ Sqn, 352FG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121870884/eugene-louis-clark
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
MACR 4988

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from a duplicate record. Source:
MACR 4988 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Added nickname and place of burial after correspondence with his daughter, Colleen.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / widow MACR 4988

Eugene Louis Clark: Gallery (3 items)