Mother of Army pilot killed in Iraq: ‘No conflict was involved’

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Chief Warrant Officer Donald Clark

By KATIE SEMINARA

The Boardman native will have a full military funeral in Alabama and a memorial service in Youngstown.

BOARDMAN — A memorial service for Chief Warrant Officer Don Clark, a 1989 graduate of Boardman High School, has tentatively been scheduled for Dec. 6 at St. George Byzantine Catholic Church, 1726 Canfield Road, Youngstown.

Clark, 37, died in a helicopter crash Saturday in Mosul, Iraq.

The crash wasn’t a result of enemy fire, said Clark’s mother, Linda Clark.

“I just know that he wasn’t fired on,” she said.

“It was some kind of freak accident; no conflict was involved,” said Linda of what she heard from the Army.

Clark’s body arrived at Dover (Del.) Air Force Base on Tuesday, and no definite funeral arrangements have been made.

A full military service will be held at Fort Rucker, which is near Dothan, Ala.

Linda said the Army has procedures and that’s why exact plans haven’t been established.

“Because Don was in [the Army] so long, I have to respect that,” she said.

“It’s not like they’re dragging their feet — they just have procedures,” Linda said.

Clark started serving his country right out of high school when he joined the Navy; he joined the Army in 1995.

While with the Army, he became an instructor pilot for small scout helicopters.

Clark, a career soldier, was deployed to Iraq in July as an Army helicopter instructor/pilot.

“He just glowed when he talked about flying,” Linda said.

Flying fascinated Clark, and he appreciated the vastness and beauty of the country, she said.

“He would send me pictures from up in the sky,” she said of getting pictures of moose and elk from when Clark was stationed in Alaska.

Though Clark loved being part of the Navy, flying allowed him to have more of a family life and he thought it was beautiful, said Linda.

Linda said Clark was proud to fight for his country.

Linda and Clark’s father, Don, still live in Boardman, as does Clark’s sister, Deana Bode.

Clark is also survived by his wife, Jamie, who lives in Alabama. Clark and Jamie have four children: Danielle, Brittany, Jonathan and Bailey.

The family continues to grieve for a son, husband, brother and friend, but Linda said the support from others has been “tremendous.”

“It’s nice to have people to talk to,” she said.