Clark, who's been credited with saving the lives of some of his shipmates during a World War II battle, received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with the Combat Distinguished Device yesterday, an honor he was denied because of his race.
According to the Associated Press, Clark was serving as an E-6 Steward First Class aboard the USS Aaron Ward when Japanese kamikazes attacked the destroyer near Okinawa in May 1945. Clark was 29 years old.
Though he suffered a broken collarbone in the attack, Clark saved the lives of several men by dragging them to safety. He also put out a fire in an ammunition locker that is said to have potentially cracked the destroyer in half. He was the only survivor on the eight-man damage control team he served on.
