Clark, Mark W.

Description

Type: Letter
Description: (1896-1984) US Army officer, his mother the daughter of Romanian Jews, baptized Episcopalian at West Point (USMA 1917).

Wounded in France during WW I. On Aug. 4, 1941, promoted 2 grades to Brigadier General and made Asst. Chief of Staff (G-3).

Appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Army Ground Forces Jan. 1942, in May named Army Ground Forces Chief of Staff. To England in June to command II Corps, in July became Commanding General, Army Forces ETO, promoted to Major General Aug. 17.  In Oct., named Deputy Commander of Allied Forces in North Africa, planning and directing training for Operation Torch. On Oct. 21-22, 1942, was spirited into North Africa by submarine to negotiate surrender or cooperation of Vichy French at Cherchell. Promoted to Lieutenant General Nov. 11.

When the US created its 1st overseas field army, Fifth Army, he was given command with job to train units for Sept. 1943 invasion of Italy (Operation Avalanche). During Battle of the Winter Line, ignoring orders from Army Group Commander, British General Alexander, Clark sent US VI Corps towards Rome and captured it June 4, 1944. As a result, he failed to exploit gap in German positions opened after capture of Monte Cassino, allowing substantial number of German units to escape. In Dec. 1944, he replaced Alexander as Commander of 15th Army Group, in overall command of Allied ground troops in Italy. Promoted to General Mar. 10, 1945, and at war’s end, Commander of Allied Forces in Italy, later US High Commissioner of Austria. Named Deputy US Secretary of State 1947, attended negotiations for Austrian treaty with Council of Foreign Ministers in London & Moscow. In June 1947, assumed command of Sixth Army at the Presidio in San Francisco, and in 1949 named Chief of Army Field Forces. During Korean War, assumed command of UN forces May 12, 1952, succeeding General Ridgway, signed 1953 cease-fire agreement with North Korea. On retiring from the Army, was President of The Citadel 1954-66.

TLS as General, US Army on  10 ¼ x 7 ¼ “Headquarters Sixth Army/Presidio of San Francisco, California/Office of the Commanding General” letterhead, to an Ohio woman. Clark sends an autographed replica of a Fifth Army shoulder patch (not present), but as he does not have franking privilege, cannot comply with her request (for a franked envelope).

Condition: Very good, scant rust clip remnant by addressee’s name and address