TERENCE L. CLARK, LT, USN
Terence Clark '90
Lucky Bag
From the 1990 Lucky Bag:
Terrence Lee Clark
Scottsdale, Arizona
Terry started his Academy career in 18 as the Clark Curse saw the downfall of 6 of his roommates. He then came to 7th bright-eyed and bushy-haired {get a haircut-B.} Youngster year was no problem as he breezed through Wild Bill in pursuit of a degree in blimp design. With Mandy playing b-ball in the Hall, Terry's conquests were well documented. 2/c year saw another pistol gold medal and All-American status. Pistol obviously tuned his hearing as he was the only one to hear a sonic boom during a lightning storm. Terry earned the nickname Larry in his avid pursuit of computer games. When not in front of the screen, Larry could be found at the local establishments using the techniques of his namesake. Although he is small, he sure is slow, as evidenced by his founding of the 10:28 club. This did not stop him from buying the biggest car/flashlight/computer/stereo he could find. It was then that Terry realized he was destined for greatness. He was always willing to impart his "vast experience" to his classmates. Terry will always be remembered as a great guy; just ask him. KEH & KJD.
Terrence Lee Clark
Scottsdale, Arizona
Terry started his Academy career in 18 as the Clark Curse saw the downfall of 6 of his roommates. He then came to 7th bright-eyed and bushy-haired {get a haircut-B.} Youngster year was no problem as he breezed through Wild Bill in pursuit of a degree in blimp design. With Mandy playing b-ball in the Hall, Terry's conquests were well documented. 2/c year saw another pistol gold medal and All-American status. Pistol obviously tuned his hearing as he was the only one to hear a sonic boom during a lightning storm. Terry earned the nickname Larry in his avid pursuit of computer games. When not in front of the screen, Larry could be found at the local establishments using the techniques of his namesake. Although he is small, he sure is slow, as evidenced by his founding of the 10:28 club. This did not stop him from buying the biggest car/flashlight/computer/stereo he could find. It was then that Terry realized he was destined for greatness. He was always willing to impart his "vast experience" to his classmates. Terry will always be remembered as a great guy; just ask him. KEH & KJD.
Loss
Terrence was lost on February 18, 1996 when the F-14D he was aboard suffered engine failure and crashed ~85 miles from Point Loma during a routine training flight. He was a member of Fighter Squadron (VF) 11.
From The Hanford Sentinel on February 21, 1996:
The deadly crash of an F-14D Tomcat, which killed two Navy aviators, occurred when the fighter was mimicking a cruise missile attack on a Navy warship, a newspaper reported today.
Sunday's crash occurred during a radar exercise where planes mimic the flight of aircraft or an anti-ship missile flying no lower than 500 feet above the sea and "popping up" near the target ship, sources told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The flights can be done at subsonic or supersonic speeds. But a Navy spokesman told the Union-Tribune the speed of the plane at the time of the crash is not yet known.
Investigators don’t know whether the plane caught fire before it slammed into the Pacific Ocean or if it exploded on impact, a Navy source told the paper. But officials said the plane disintegrated on impact.
Killed in Sunday’s crash were during radar exercise Cmdr. L. Scott Lamoreaux, 39, the air operations officer for Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three, and Lt. Terence Clark, 27, a pilot with squadron VF-11 at Miramar Naval Air Station.
Lamoreaux, who was not assigned to VF-11, was acting as the radar intercept officer of the two-seat fighter.
On Tuesday, the Navy said the crash occurred about 85 miles south-southwest of Point Loma. Earlier reports stated the crash was about 120 miles from San Diego. The original estimate was based on the ships location.
The plane had been launched from the carrier Vinson, which has been preparing for deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East.
Pentagon officials said the two recent F-14 accidents don’t merit new safety measures or stand downs.
Remembrance
From Find A Grave:
You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in your family and those who knew you and loved you. You will live on because we remember you!
Other Information
Terry was orphaned at a young age; his mother died of cancer in December 1971, and his father almost exactly a year later in a carrier aircraft accident.
He was survived by his wife, Amanda, sister, Shannon, and grandparents. He is buried in California.
Photographs
From his junior-year high school yearbook
Brophy Prep College in Phoenix, 1985, junior. Caption: "The east-yard after school finds Clay Mitchell, Terry Clark and Jon Brannon attempting to act neat for a yearbook photographer."
1986 senior: 4/21/68. Track 1,2,3,4; NHDH + 12 3, Campus Cleanup Club 3, 4; Naval Academy. To the class of 86 – before you go outside, make sure you’re inside first. I’d rather be playing scrabble.
Related Articles
Terence's father, Philip Clark, Jr. '68, was killed in action with the North Vietnamese in 1972.
Terence is one of 3 members of the Class of 1990 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
