|
a.
|
Note: Wilburn Eugene Clark, age 97 of Lewisburg, passed away on July 29, 2014 at NHC Healthcare-Oakwood.He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Hazel Essary Clark, in 2013; his parents, Clarence and Susie Steele Clark; and two brothers, William Ray and Frank Clark.He is survived by one sister, Virginia Clark Boatright of Lynnville, several nieces and nephews, and one very special nephew and his wife, Larry & Phyllis Boatright of Lewisburg.Wilburn was born November 24, 1916 in Lynnville, graduated from Jones High School in 1934, where he then moved to Lewisburg and lived until 1937, at which time he joined the U.S. Navy. He retired from the Navy in 1960 with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. He was a veteran of WWII and the Korean Wars. Mr. Clark retired after 23 years of Naval Service. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for injuries received in the sinking of the USS ROBERT E. PEARY DD-226 in the Timor Sea battle. After retiring from the Navy, he was employed by the Federal Civil Service in Washington, D.C., and retired from this service in 1973. After his retirement, he and his wife, Hazel, moved to Lewisburg to make it their permanent home. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, where he served as Trustee, Deacon, and Elder. Wilburn served in many more community activities, including Mayor of Lewisburg, Chairman of the Board of the Lewisburg Community Hospital for five years, he was a 32 degree Mason and a Shriner, a member and President of the Lewisburg Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.Funeral services will be Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 2 p.m. at the Chapel of Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home with Jeff Eason officiating. Burial will follow at Mars Hill Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation with the family will be Thursday, July 31, 2014 beginning at 12 Noon until the funeral hour.In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mars Hill Cemetery Fund, C/O of Debra Irvin, 3470 Cornersville Hwy, Lynnville, TN 38472.Pallbearers will be the Navy Honor Guards. Honorary Pallbearers, who were Wilburn's caregivers, will be Kathryn Smith, Teresa Mathis, Charlene Thomason, Sandra Stanfill, and JoEllen Haislip. Additional honorary Pallbearers will be Robert Walker, Edmund Roberts, Jack Goodman, Tom Stevens, Henry Golczynski, Bill Marsh, and Jim Terry.Condolences of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.billsmcgaugh.com. Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.
USS Robert E. Peary DD-226 was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Admiral Robert Edwin Peary.Peary was laid down by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia on 9 September 1919; launched on 6 April 1920; sponsored by Mrs. Edward Stafford daughter of Admiral Peary; commissioned on 22 October 1920.Peary was moored at Cavite, Philippines, when news of the Pearl Harbor raid reached her and was caught in the raid on the Cavite Navy Yard, Philippines, two days later. On the early afternoon of 10 December more than 50 two-engined high level bombers appeared over Cavite and, cruising leisurely above the range of anti-aircraft fire, destroyed practically the entire base.
Peary, tied up at a small pier, took one bomb forward which damaged the superstructure and stack and killed 8 of her crew. She found herself in a precarious position, as fires began to set off torpedo warheads in a torpedo overhaul shop on the wharf next to her. Fortunately, Whippoorwill (AM-35) towed her out. Whippoorwill and Pillsbury (DD-227) came alongside and their fire hoses extinguished the fire in five minutes. Her commanding officer, Commander H. H. Keith was wounded in this engagement and was relieved by Commander J. M. Bermingham.
On 26 December 1941, Peary was underway when the Japanese came over again and dropped several bombs near the ship.By the morning of 27 December, Peary was in Campomanes Bay, Negros Island, where she decided to put in for the day. Her crew camouflaged her with green paint and palm fronds, hoping to elude Japanese patrol bombers. Five passed overhead without spotting the ship that morning and when darkness fell she set out through the Celebes Sea for Makassar Strait.
A Japanese bomber spotted Peary the next morning, and shadowed her until early afternoon when three other bombers joined her in a two-hour attack. The planes dropped 500-pound bombs and then launched two torpedoes only 500 yards from the ship. Peary quickly backed on one engine and both torpedoes narrowly missed the bow. Seconds later, two more missed the stern by ten yards. The bombers then withdrew.
The New Year found Peary at Darwin, Australia. During January and a part of February, she operated out of Darwin, principally on anti-submarine patrol. On 15-16 February, Peary took part in a mission to transport reinforcements and supplies to Allied forces in Dutch Timor, but this was aborted after coming under intense air attack. On 19 February 1942 Darwin experienced a massive Japanese air attack. At about 1045, Peary was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, and was struck by five bombs. The first bomb exploded on the fantail, the second, an incendiary, on the galley deck house; the third did not explode; the fourth hit forward and set off the forward ammunition magazines; the fifth, another incendiary, exploded in the after engine room. A .30 caliber machine gun on the after deck house and a .50 caliber machine gun on the galley deck house fired until the last enemy plane flew away. Peary suffered 88 men killed and 13 wounded; she sank stern first at about 1300 on 19 February 1942. She was struck from the Navy List on 8 May 1942.
|
