African American World War II Soldiers Honored

On the eve of this Memorial Day Holiday an Oklahoma family is remembering a loved one who worked tirelessly to get a group of veterans recognized.

Sunday, May 24th 2009, 10:25 pm

By: News 9


By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

TULSA, Oklahoma -- On the eve of this Memorial Day Holiday an Oklahoma family is remembering a loved one who worked tirelessly to get a group of veterans recognized.

Those veterans were seven African Americans whose bravery had been all but forgotten. Then, a military man from Oklahoma got to work and the President of the United States listened.

"My father was a career army officer," Vivian Clark-Adams said. "He was in the infantry. His particular group was the 92nd division, 597 field artillery unit."

Vivian's father, Lt. Major Clark, was a student of history, especially of the unit in which he served.

Clark's unit was the only all black unit that was under the command of an African American from start to finish; something that gives the soldiers an edge in the civilian world.

"He documented that by the fact that there were so many doctors, lawyers, college presidents, very high-ranking officials and very successful people in the unit," Clark-Adams said.

Clark served 20 years and was in World War II and the Korean War. After getting out, he helped right and injustice done to black soldiers.

At the time, no blacks who fought in the World War II had been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor for bravery on the battlefield. Clark helped find a hand full of black soldiers who had rightfully earned the medal.

"Finally, in 1994, President Clinton bestowed seven Medals of Honor to black soldiers," Clark-Adams said.

The formal ceremony was held in 1997. Vernon Baker was the only soldier still alive to accept the award.

Clark has since died, but his legacy is finally being recognized.

The Oklahoma Historical Society acquired his family collection, stored in boxes and is doing a display and research collection. A documentary is in the works and a book Clark wrote himself will soon be published.

"My dad was a loving father, I was a daddy's girl, but then to know what he did for other people and he left a legacy of helping people, being committed to people and telling the stories of black soldiers, it feels so good to finally get it out there," Clark-Adams said.

Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers of Tecumseh, Oklahoma was also one of the soldiers who received the Medal of Honor.

View a list of all the soldiers honored.

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