WWII veteran honored almost 70 years after heroism

It was long overdue, but on Tuesday the Secretary of the Navy flew to the Bay Area to honor a man from Menlo Park for what he did more than 60 years ago.

Proud, patriotic and patient World War II veteran Carl Clark received a thunderous welcome at Moffett Field Tuesday afternoon.

Clark, now 95, told KTVU reporter Rita Williams two years ago he didn't think he'd live long enough to see the Navy finally right a wrong from 67 years ago. But he did.

"The country he helped defend did not honor his war time actions," said Secretary of Navy Ray Mabus during the ceremony honoring Clark. "Today we correct that omission."

"They came right out of the sun," said Clark as he remembered the  Japanese kamikaze planes that flew so close he could see the pilot's faces as they crashed into his segregated ship that day in 1945.

"The plane hit and it blew me all the way across the ship," he recalled.

The explosion broke Clark's collarbone, but not his spirit. One of only six African-Americans in a crew of 300, he saved white sailors when he poured water on the ammunition locker to keep it from blowing up.

The captain later told him "You saved my ship."

Clark got a Purple Heart, but the heroism awards went to the white men. He accepted the racism.

But a few years ago, a college teacher made a documentary about the injustice of Clark's story. A congresswoman went to work and, on Tuesday, the Secretary of the Navy pinned a medal on a chest bursting with pride.

"Simply put, Carl Clark was and is a hero," declared the secretary.

"I'm so overwhelmed, but I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart," said Clark after the ceremony.

And a grateful nation finally thanks this man for his greatness, now and then.