Clark, Stanley Scott
Air Force Colonel

Stanley Scott Clark, age 40, from Modesto, California, Stanislaus county.

Service era: Vietnam

Spouse: Married

Children: Karen

Date of death: Friday, February 14, 1969
Death details: On February 14, 1969, an F-4D Phantom II (tail number 65-0651, call sign Pintail 01) with a crew of two took off from Ubon Airfield, Thailand, as the lead aircraft on a two-plane night strike mission on the Ho Chi Minh Trail near Ban Bac, Saravane Province, Laos. After its second pass over the target area, this aircraft was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and burst into flames. At this time, the aircraft commander informed the pilot the aircraft was on fire and control was lost, and then stated, “We’ve got to get out.” The aircraft entered a cloud layer at about 10,000 feet and was obscured from view, but was then seen again as it descended and crashed into a river. The backseater successfully ejected and was rescued the next day, February 15. He reported he did not see another parachute during his descent, and while on the ground was unable to establish communications with the other crew member. The crash area was recaptured by friendly forces about three months later, and the aircraft’s wreckage was located, but there were no remains at the crash site.

Lieutenant Colonel Stanley Scott Clark entered the U.S. Air Force from California and was a member of the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the aircraft commander of this Phantom II when it crashed, and he was lost with the aircraft. His remains were not recovered. Subsequent to the incident, and while carried in the status of missing in action (MIA), the U.S. Air Force promoted Lieutenant Colonel Clark to the rank of Colonel (Col). Today, Colonel Clark is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency