| Title |
Ralph Tracy Clark, Smithfield, Utah: an interview by Becky B. Lloyd, September 9, 2006: Saving the Legacy tape nos. 767 & 768 |
| Alternative Title |
Ralph Tracy Clark, Saving the legacy: an oral history of Utah's World War II veterans, ACCN 2070, American West Center, University of Utah |
| Creator |
Clark, Ralph Tracy, 1926- |
| Contributor |
Lloyd, Becky B.; University of Utah. American West Center |
| Publisher |
Digitized by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah |
| Date |
2006-09-09 |
| Date Digital |
2015-12-16 |
| Access Rights |
I acknowledge and agree that all information I obtain as a result of accessing any oral history provided by the University of Utah's Marriott Library shall be used only for historical or scholarly or academic research purposes, and not for commercial purposes. I understand that any other use of the materials is not authorized by the University of Utah and may exceed the scope of permission granted to the University of Utah by the interviewer or interviewee. I may request permission for other uses, in writing to Special Collections at the Marriott Library, which the University of Utah may choose grant, in its sole discretion. I agree to defend, indemnify and hold the University of Utah and its Marriott Library harmless for and against any actions or claims that relate to my improper use of materials provided by the University of Utah. |
| Spatial Coverage |
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands; Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands; Okinawa, Japan |
| Subject |
Clark, Ralph Tracy, 1926- --Interviews; Veterans--United States--Biography; World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Area--Personal narratives, American; Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American |
| Keywords |
Nagasaki |
| Description |
Transcript (116 pages) of an interview by Becky B. Lloydl with Ralph Tracy Clark on September 9, 2006. From tape numbers 767 and 768. of the "Saving the Legacy" Oral History Project |
| Collection Number and Name |
Accn2070, Saving the Legacy oral history project, 2001-2010 |
| Abstract |
Clark (b. 1926) briefly describes his childhood in Smithfield, Utah. He enlisted in the Navy in March 1944. His boot camp training took place in San Diego, California, then he was assigned to the DD782 as a "plank owner." He describes his duties as a water tender machinist's mate. Clark served in Saipan, Agulon, Okinawa, and Japan. He describes his time in postwar Nagasaki. He was discharged in 1946. In 1950 he joined the army and was shipped to Korea where he joined the 2nd Infantry Division, Battery A, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, Company B. His recollections include time on "Heartbreak Ridge." After receiving the Silver Star, he was transferred from the infantry to air observer and flew 135 missions. He describes the experience that led to his being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Discharged in 1954 as a first lieutenant. Interviewed by Becky Lloyd. 116 pages. |
| Type |
Text |
| Genre |
oral histories (literary works) |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Extent |
116 pages |
| Language |
eng |
| Rights |
 |
| Scanning Technician |
Mazi Rakhsha |
| Conversion Specifications |
Original scanned with Kirtas 2400 and saved as 400 ppi uncompressed TIFF. PDF generated by Adobe Acrobat Pro X for CONTENTdm display |
| ARK |
ark:/87278/s6447phs |
| Topic |
Personal narratives--American; Veterans; World War (1939-1945); Military operations, Naval--American; Korean War (1950-1953) |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1028236 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6447phs |
| Title |
Page 76 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1028195 |
| OCR Text |
Show LPHT Y L RK p B R 9, 20 h daylight cam and we g t up and looked around. Rak traw had pr pp d th radi up against a tree. It wa perforated. hrapnel had gon right through it. W 1 k d a we crawled out of our hole. All that soft dirt right next to our hole was all platt r d all over. There was a hole. "Ahh, a mortar." We think they were firing 25 mm mortars which sometimes they called a knee mortar. They were very portable. Those guys would go out, kneel down and raise the tube about to the angle where they wanted it, drop a round down the tube, and fire on us. They could be very disastrous at times. This one landed right by our hole. I knew that if I was very careful when I moved the dirt away, I could find the fuse. If I could find the fuse from it, which was this piece of metal about that long [indicates size] and carefully took it out and put a stick in it, I could (sight along the stick and) do what they called a reverse azimuth. I did that, stuck a stick in and took my compass out and read the reverse azimuth. It was 1570 mils. The second lieutenant was right and that round had come through. I looked up above. It was autumn. We had some trees. There weren't many leaves left on the trees, but there were some leaves on the trees left and there was a hole, maybe six feet in diameter (though the leaves) from when that round had come over. It had come right down through those trees. If it had hit those trees, it would have exploded in the air. It had come right down and landed by our feet, if that dirt hadn't have been pushed up like I wanted it. .. I had said, "Come on guys, let's push this dirt up and make a little walkway." If we hadn't done that, and that round had landed on hard ground or had gone that much farther and landed where we were, it would have cut our legs off, I think. When that thing went off, I felt my legs go right back over my head like that. The other guys did too. 76 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6447phs/1028195 |
