Clark, Albert Patton Jr "Bub" (Lieutenant General)

Prisoner of War 1942-July-26

Lieutenant General Albert Patton Jr "Bub" Clark USAAF

Birth Date: 1913-August-27

Born: Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA

Parents: Son of Albert Patton Clark Sr and Mary (nee Gannon) Clark

Spouse: Husband of Carolyn Pierpoint (nee Wilbourn) Clark

Home: Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

USAAF

Unit

412 (F) Sqn- Squadron
Promptus Ad Vindictam Swift to Avenge

Base

RAF Merston

Rank

Lieutenant General

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

O/020218

Home
Google MapHonolulu County, Hawaii, USA
Final Burial
Google MapUSAF Academy Cemetery
Lot 3 Row C Site 53 (About midway on row south of US Flag)

Mission

Spitfire Mk Vb BL964

Rodeo 1942-July-26 to 1942-July-26

412 (F) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Redhill

412 Squadron (Promptus ad vindictum) RAF Redhill. Lieutenant-Colonel A P "Bub" Clark (USAAF), Executive Officer of the 31st Fighter Group, Eight Air Force temporarily attached to 412 Squadron (RCAF) flying Spitfire Vb aircraft BL 964 engaged in a sweep over the English Channel (Rodeo). Attacked by a German fighter aircraft, Clark's engine cut out and unable to open his canopy, Lieutenant-Colonel Clark force landed his Spitfire in a field near the lighthouse at Cap Gris Nez, France. He was immediately captured by soldiers from Batterie Todt, a German coastal artillery battery and ended the war as a Prisoner of War. At Stalag Luft 3, as Senior American Officer in the camp, Clark made significant contributions to the success of the "Great Escape". He was liberated in April 1945.

Note that some sources report VZ*G on this date was EN784, but recently found photos in France, reviewed and confirmed by Lieutenant General Clark before his death, confirm that he was in BL964 when he was captured.

  • The Great Escape, A Canadian Story by Ted Barris, pages 59, 69, 76, 107, 169
  • The Great Escapers, The Full Story of the Second World War's Most Remarkable Mass Escape by Tim Carroll, pages 20, 58, 62, 67, 73-6,77, 89, 92,100-02, 108,119,122, 140, 157, 164-5, 167-8, 235
  • Stalag Luft III, The Secret Story by Arthur A Durand, pages 6-8, 35, 101, 105, 107-08, 114, 183-84, 197, 288, 296, 298-99, 356-57, 360

    • Unvetted Source 26.07.1942 31st Fighter Group Spitfire LtCol Clarke

    Unvetted Source Search for France-Crashes 39-45

    Operatins Record Books 412 Squadron ORB July 1942

    Unit Desciption

    412 (F) Sqn Promptus Ad Vindictam ("Falcon")

    History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Spitfire Mks. IIA, VB, IXB, IXE, XVI, XIV)

    The squadron was the tenth of the RCAF's squadrons to be formed overseas in WWII. It was the seventh fighter squadron to be so formed. It was established at Digby, Lincolnshire, England on June 30, 1941. John Gillespie Magee, the author of the famous aviation poem “High Flight” was serving with 412 Squadron when he was killed in a mid-air collision in his Spitfire in 1941. The squadron flew Spitfire aircraft in the defence of Great Britain, formed part of the Canadian Kenley Wing within No. 11 Group, Fighter Command. It was re-equipped with the Spitfire lXb in November 1943 and began operating over northern France in preparation for operation Overlord, the D-Day landings. It was during late 1943 that the ace George “Screwball” Beurling scored his last air victory while serving with the squadron. Shortly after D-Day, on June 19, 1944, the squadron moved to France in a fighter and ground support role. It then supported the Allied armies, moving through France, the Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. It was one of four RCAF day fighter units retained in Germany as part of the British Air Forces of Occupation before being disbanded at Utersen, Germany on March 21, 1946.

    In the course of hostilities, the squadron flew 12,761 sorties for the loss of 63 aircraft and 62 pilots, of whom 21 were killed, 14 presumed dead, 11 POW. The squadron claimed 106 enemy aircraft destroyed, 11 probably destroyed and 46 damaged. On the ground, they claimed 282 motor vehicles and 22 locomotives. The squadron had 5 aces (shot down 5 or more enemy aircraft): Flight Lieutenant D.C. Laubman DFC & Bar; Flight Lieutenant W.J. Banks,DFC & Bar; Flying Officer D.R.C. Jamieson DFC & Bar; Flying Officer P.M. Charron; Flight Lieutenant R.I.A. Smith DFC. Overall, the squadron was awarded 7 Bars to DFC, 16 DFCs and 4 MiD. Battle Honours were: Defence of Britain 1941-44, Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin

    Maps for Movements of 412 Squadron 1941-46

    MAP 1: 412 Squadron Movements 1941-44 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
    MAP 2: 412 Squadron Movements Detail of Map 1
    MAP 3: 412 Squadron Movements in Europe 1944-46

    412 Squadron History Summary 1941-46

    412 Squadron History Summary 1941-46 Page 2

    412 Squadron History Summary 1941-46 Page 3

    History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: CC-117 Falcon, CC-144 Challenger and CC-109 Cosmopolitan)

    After the Second World War, Number 12 Communications Flight was reassigned as 412 Squadron on 1 April 1947, and renamed 412 (Composite) Squadron based at Rockcliffe, Ontario . In 1955, the squadron moved to Uplands, Ontario. Upon unification in 1968, 412 Squadron became the VIP squadron for the Canadian Forces based at CFB Uplands -75.676, and flew the CC-117 Falcon, CC-144 Challenger and CC-109 Cosmopolitan. In the late 1970s a sub-unit was established at CFB Lahr in West Germany; this operation closed in 1993. In 1994, CFB Ottawa (Uplands) closed and 412's fleet was moved to a civilian hangar at Ottawa International Airport. All aircraft are maintained by Transport Canada on behalf of the Canadian Forces. Today, the Squadron performs the VIP and general transport duties with the CC-144 Challenger.