Clark, J. J. (Joseph James), 1893-1971

Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN (November 12, 1893 – July 13, 1971) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. Born and raised in Oklahoma and a native of the Cherokee Nation, In 1917, he was the first Native American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. Clark preferred to be called "J. J." instead of his full name or the nickname "Jocko."

Joseph J. Clark was born to William A. and Lillie Berry Clark in Pryor in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Nation, before it became part of the state of Oklahoma. His father was a member of the Cherokee Nation. Joseph attended Willie Halsell College in Vinita, Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now named Oklahoma State University) in Stillwater, Oklahoma, prior to being appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played on the lacrosse and soccer teams. He was commissioned as Ensign upon graduating in 1917. Clark's nickname, "Jocko", originated at the Naval Academy: on one of his first days there, he was standing in ranks when a classmate called out "The Right Reverend J. Jonathan Jockey Clark!" His wife, Olga Clark, néé Chubarova, was the widow of chess world champion José Raúl Capablanca.

Although Clark was officially a member of the Class of 1918 at the United States Naval Academy, he actually graduated with the class of 1917. He was first posted to the cruiser USS North Carolina (ACR-12), which was convoying troops across the Atlantic Ocean. After World War I ended, he remained in the permanent navy, serving at sea aboard the destroyers USS Aaron Ward (DD-132), USS Aulick (DD-258), and USS Brooks (DD-232) in the Middle East. He was commanding Brooks on his return to the USA, then was put in command of the USS Bulmer (DD-222). Bulmer was assigned to American Relief Administration and Near East Relief. Clark returned to the US in 1923, and was posted as an instructor at the Naval Academy during 1923–1924. He then went to NAS Pensacola in Florida for flight training, and graduated as a naval aviator on March 16, 1925.

Clark served a wide variety of posts throughout the rest of the 1920s and the 1930s. In 1925, he helped Commander John Rodgers prepare for the first West Coast-Hawaii flight in 1925, receiving a letter of commendation for this service. In 1926, he served as senior aviation officer aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41). The next year, he was an aide to the Commander, Battleship Division Three, and served as division aviation officer. From 1928 to 1931, Clark was executive officer, NAS Anacostia, in Washington, D.C., and during the next two years was commanding officer of Fighting Squadron Two, attached to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2).

He was the aeronautical member of the Board of Inspection and Survey, Navy Department, from 1933 to July 1936, and during his next tour of sea duty July, 1936 to June, 1937, served as the Lexington's air officer and representative at Fleet Air Detachment, NAS San Diego, California. From July, 1937, to May, 1939, he was executive officer of the Fleet Air Base, Pearl Harbor. He then served as inspector of naval aircraft at the Curtiss Aircraft Corporation, Buffalo, New York.

Clark was then sent to NAS Jacksonville, Florida, as executive officer from December, 1940 until May, 1941. He was then posted to the USS Yorktown (CV-5) as Executive Officer. He was in that position when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor and returned to his former post with Yorktown in time to participate in raids on the Gilbert and Marshall Islands.

At the start of U.S. involvement in World War II, Clark was known as an aggressive commander, ready to take his group into battle. He commanded the carrier Suwannee in the Atlantic Ocean and off the coast of North Africa, until he was ordered to take command of the newly commissioned Yorktown (CV-10).

In January 1944, Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher made the Yorktown his flagship. Mitcher was impressed with Clark's seamanship and fighting spirit. In February 1944, Clark was promoted to rear admiral and was transferred temporarily to Task Force 58 while still reporting to Mitscher, who was then commanding the Fast Carrier Task Force, and Admiral Raymond Spruance, commander of the Fifth Fleet. Since all of the task group's command slots were occupied, Clark was assigned to command the new aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-12), also named for a sunken carrier (USS Hornet CV-8). Soon, Mitscher was disappointed with the performance of the vice admiral commanding Task Group 3, and replaced him with Captain Clark. He commanded this group in the Marianas campaign, and on multiple occasions his task group was sent north to interdict Japanese aircraft shuttling down from Japan via intermediate islands. His air groups executed air attacks on the shuttle islands of Chichi Jima and Iwo Jima so often that the sailors of the Fast Carrier Task Force nicknamed them the "Jocko Jimas."

Clark commanded his task group in conjunction with the rest of Task Force 58 in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. His flagship was the carrier Hornet. On the second day of the battle, with his planes returning after sundown, Clark ordered his ships to light up, allowing most planes to land safely.

Clark commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) during the Korean War. He was later promoted to vice admiral and rose to command the 7th Fleet before retiring from the Navy.

Clark retired on December 1, 1953 with the rank of admiral.

After retiring from the navy, he lived in New York City, where he was chairman of Hegeman - Harris, Inc., an investment company.

He was made an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee Nations.

Admiral Clark died on July 13, 1971 at the naval hospital in St. Albans, New York. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 2525-B.