Richard Ausman Clark was born June 4, 1924 in Utica, NY to Richard Harold Clark (1895-1963) and Gertrude Mathilda Ausman (1887-1963). His dad was from Branchport, NY at the northern tip of the West Branch of Keuka Lake. His mom was from Ilion, NY. His parents were married on June 30, 1923 in Utica, NY . He was their only child. His dad worked as a laborer for the gas and electric company and later in the freight house of the New York Central Railroad. His mom was a teacher. The 1930 and 1940 US Census recorded Richard living with his parents at 1116 Brinckerhoff St., Utica, NY. He completed 2 years of high school.

When Richard registered for the draft on June 30, 1942 in Utica, NY, he was 6' – 3" tall, weighed 165 pounds and had brown eyes and brown hair. He worked for Utica Drop Forge and Tool Company. He had just turned 18 years old and he didn't wait to be drafted, enlisting in the service on July 30, 1942 through Albany, NY with service number 12096710. He reported to Fort Dix, N.J. for assignment in early August 1942. By January 1943 he was in Engineering School in Lexington, Kentucky. By June 1943 he was with the HQ and Service Company, 651st Engineers at Camp Maxey, Texas.

Richard married Marshall Marie around February 3, 1944. She lived at 5907 Bryan Parkway, Dallas 6, Texas as noted in his IDPF. I was unable to identify her maiden name. On February 3, 1944 he applied for $100 emergency relief from the military in the form of a loan that he was to pay back in $10 a month payments starting March 3, 1944. This money was needed to pay expenses because the “Soldier getting married this date.” The loan was approved on February 7, 1944.

Pvt. Clark joined the 64th Engineer's in April 1944. They were stationed at Schofield Barracks (APO #957), in the then Territory of Hawaii. Soon after his arrival, on May 1, 1944, Pvt. Clark was confined to the post stockade awaiting trial for misbehavior as a sentinel. In war time this is considered a very serious offense. On May 9th he was transferred from the stockade to a local hospital with a self-inflicted gun shot wound that he died from. He was initially buried in the Schofield Cemetery, Grave 39, Row J, Plot 3. His wife transferred authority over his remains to his parents and in November 1948, more than 4 years after his death, his remains were escorted home aboard the USS Dalton Victory and he was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY, Plot 65, Lot 6652.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

Dad's FAG - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228681089/richard_harold-clark: accessed 5 Oct 2026), memorial page for Richard Harold Clark (9 Jan 1895–16 May 1963), Find a Grave Memorial ID 228681089, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228681046/richard_a-clark: accessed 5 Oct 2026), memorial page for PVT Richard A. Clark (4 Jun 1924–9 May 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 228681046, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Individual Deceased Personnel File, Clark, Richard, 12096710, National Archives at St. Louis, MO, via FOIA request, received October 6, 2026.

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 00891; Reel: 82

National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Morning Reports for April 1944: Roll 475 (2 of 4), Images 23, 24, Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Series: Morning Reports; NAID: 468793565.

National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Morning Reports for May 1944: Roll 701 (1 of 3); Images 91, 99, 109; Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Series: Morning Reports; NAID: 475006109.

National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Army and Army Air Force (Air Corps) Rosters, 1940-1943: Number 927 (3 of 3), images 537, 543, Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Series: Muster Rolls and Rosters; NAID: 374327754.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Birth Index

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index

VetFriends, 64th Engineer Topographic Battalion accessed at https://www.vetfriends.com/branches/army/units/64th-engineer-topographic-battalion on October 5, 2026.

Walker, Diane R., and Hemmingsen, Amanda M., Essayons, The Origins and History of the US Army Engineer School, Staff of the US Army, Engineer School History Office, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 2020.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0128; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02862; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 67-66

Supporting Documents