CREDITS

This remembrance wouldn’t have been nearly so accurate and compelling without the contributions of several people.

Jack with pal Ray Bilicki outside a church in Belgium.

Ray Bilicki, also a member of A Battery (and eventually C Battery) of the 474^th, was the only Army buddy with whom dad kept in touch. Had it not been for Ray, I never would have discovered The Maverick Outfit, a book written and self-published by Frank E. Spalletti, a member of C Battery, who passed away in 1966 in the midst of his writing. Ray passed away in 2007.

I’d also like to thank the Spalletti family. Following Frank Spalletti’s death, his widow had the book published and distributed copies to those who had contributed material. My dad had not contributed, so more than 30 years later, Ray Bilicki (who had no children) passed his copy, along with a VII Corps campaign map, to me, following my request for war-time stories about my dad.

Although I’ve supplemented with some information from other sources, the lion's share of the information included here is pulled from The Maverick Outfit. My intent is not to pass off someone else’s work as my own, but to unify information from a variety of sources with my father’s own recollections and thus provide a more complete record for our extended family of what someone we know and love did during the main event of the 20th century.

I want to thank my father, Jack M. Clark Sr., for telling me the same stories over and over, making notations while reading The Maverick Outfit, and later correcting my mistakes. My mother, Wilma Clark, and my husband, Chris Lawson, deserve some thanks as well, for putting up with my dad and I while we “talked shop” through many a family dinner. 

Dedicated to…

Jack’s grandchildren: 
Pamela Kahuda, Ryan Clark and Erin Lawson

Jack’s great-grandchildren: 
Maura and Kaden Kahuda
Kylee, Jack and Cameron Clark

My generation grew up watching World War II newsreels in the movie theaters. Each day there are fewer and fewer WWII vets and survivors of Nazi tyranny with whom our offspring might come into contact. I’ve preserved these recollections to stir their pride in the role their “Pap” played in a key historical event. I also hope it stirs the souls of all who read it to remain sensitive to the rights and the uniqueness of all human beings.

In memory of…

John P. Cairo

Albert Margolis

Arthur J. LaGrotta

Charles C. Cowart

Paskel Harris

William Scott

Gordon B. Potter

Albert G. Algeier

William J. Ouseley 
and three other unidentified members of 
the 474th AAA-AW who gave their lives
in the service of their country in World War II