Bronze Star
In 1969, twenty-four year old Captain Clark had yet to go into combat when he received the Bronze Star while serving with the First Infantry Division in Lai Khe as assistant to the deputy chief of staff.
His Bronze Star was based on meritorious achievement.
For seven months Clark took on a number of high-level research projects and developed analytical tools related to combat operations.
Another evaluation by Lt. Col. Frederic Brown stated that
About the Bronze Star
In February of 1944, General George C. Marshall wrote a poignant memorandum to President Roosevelt:
"The fact that the ground troops, Infantry in particular, lead miserable lives of extreme discomfort and are the ones who must close in personal combat with the enemy, makes the maintenance of their morale of great importance. The award of the Air Medal has had an adverse reaction on the ground troops, particularly the Infantry Riflemen who are now suffering the heaviest losses, air or ground, in the Army, and enduring the greatest hardships." (Note: The Air Medal had been adopted two years earlier to raise airmen’s morale.)
President Roosevelt then authorized the Bronze Star Medal, making it retroactive to December 7th 1941 to US ground troops as well as those serving as friendly forces.
The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who distinguished himself or herself by heroic (not involving participation in aerial flight) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The Bronze Star may also recognize single acts of merit or meritorious achievement or service.
Source:
http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/BRONZE%20STAR1.html
Wesley K Clark, A Biography, Antonia Felix, p. 82-83.
