Remembering one of our heros
Marine Staff Sergeant
29, died in Al Karma, Iraq on July 20, 2004
due to enemy action.
He was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician based at Camp Pendleton and assigned to Combat Service Support Battalion 1, Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group,
I Marine Expeditionary Force.
This was the second tour of duty in Iraq
for the 11-year Marine veteran.
Mike joined the Marine Corps on April 26, 1993.
His personal awards include three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two of which include the Combat "V", earned in Iraq.
He was also awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a silver star, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars, two National Defense Service Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with a silver star and a bronze star.
He was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries received in Iraq.
Mike was a man of integrity,
who was loved and respected by those
who were fortunate enough to know him.
He was, above all,
a family man who felt that home was where his family was.
Mike is survived by his wife Sara
and two daughters, Victoria, 6, and Emelie, 3.
Mike was born July 25, 1974 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
After growing up in Florida,
he found a true sense of direction when he enlisted in the Marine Corps. His determination and motivation paved the way
for an exemplary military career.
During his early years as a Marine, he attended college in New York,
earning a B.A. in Psychology from Mt. Saint Mary College in Newburgh.
He excelled in his studies, with his excellent grades
earning him a place on the Dean’s List.
After obtaining his degree, his commitment to education continued,
and he completed numerous classes and training
offered by the Marine Corps.
His dedication even extended to bringing course materials
to Iraq in case he had any free time to study.
In 1996, he met the woman who would become his wife,
Sara Helena Werner.
Sara had grown up in Sweden, near the coast, and loved sailing.
Mike, an avid scuba diver, shared her love of the ocean.
The couple married in June of 1996.
After a honeymoon in Key West, Florida, they resided in New York.
The couple welcomed their first daughter, Victoria, two years later.
In 1999, Mike was accepted to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) School at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The day after his graduation, the family moved to Okinawa, Japan,
where they were stationed the following three years.
This is also where their second daughter, Emelie, was born in 2001.
Mike's motivation and drive influenced all aspects of his life.
He kept himself physically fit by lifting weights,
ate a healthy diet, and was a PADI certified scuba diver.
He honed his diving skills off the coast of Okinawa,
often during night dives catching fish and lobster for his family.
In 2002, when Mike was assigned to Camp Pendleton,
the family relocated from Okinawa to Oceanside.
In January of 2003, only a month after returning to the States
with his family, he began his first tour of duty in Iraq,
which lasted eight months.
Although Mike lived a life full of adventure,
his most treasured moments were spent at home
with his wife and daughters.
Weekends were family time for the devoted husband and father.
According to his wife, he had a natural gift for relating to his children.
He was able to nurture their individual personalities
and really communicate with them.
He loved reading to Emelie and Victoria,
and he would delight them with his hilarious animal impressions and antics. He enjoyed taking them on outings,
especially to anywhere related to the ocean and aquatic life.
He was looking forward to taking his family on road trips
around California after he returned from deployment.
Mike and Sara dreamed of one day buying a sailboat,
and heading for Australia to live the simple life of sailing and scuba diving. They loved the prospect of an idyllic life, living on a boat,
and enjoying nature and the ocean.
Mike will also be remembered for his keen sense of humor.
He had the ability to find the humor in almost any situation,
and his practical jokes were,
as many friends would attest, legendary.
Mike was posthumously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt)
and presented with his Senior EOD badge.
He will also be memorialized at the EOD School’s memorial
at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
A private memorial service, officiated by Chaplain Perdue,
was held at Del Mar Beach at sunset on July 31, 2004.
Cremation is planned,
with the ashes to be spread across the oceans that he loved.
Mike’s wife says this will give his family a sense
of always being close to him, no matter where they are.
The Battalion memorial was held Tuesday, August 3,
at the Mainside Chapel on Camp Pendleton.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to honor his memory may be made
to the GySgt Michael Clark Memorial Fund at Navy Federal Credit Union, account # 3002 09 4971.
