Hezekiah Leonard Clark Jr. (September 13, 1937 – September 27, 2023) was an American veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army who served during the Korean War and Vietnam War eras. He was a champion marksman, and as of 2014, one of only thirty-four triple-distinguished shooters: Distinguished Rifleman, Distinguished Pistol Shot, and Distinguished International Shooter.
Early life Hezekiah Leonard Clark Jr. was born on September 13, 1937, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended Walter L. Cohen High School, New Orleans, Louisiana. Furthering his education, he attended American University, Washington, D.C., University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana and Our Lady of Holy Cross College, New Orleans, Louisiana, earning undergraduate degrees. He received his master's degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Clark graduated from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement School, New Orleans, Louisiana and the U.S. Department of Defense, Race Relations Institute, Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral, Florida. He graduated from the National Institute of Insurance Claims Adjusters, and is a graduate fellow of the Institute of Politics of Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana. He served as an adjunct professor at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, Central State University, Xenia, Ohio, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, and University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio.
Sports Clark enjoyed participating in track and field, judo, karate, boxing and shooting. His shooting career started on a unit rifle range in 1961, and two months later he won the U.S. Marine Corps Rifle Championship."Expert Marksmen to represent U.S." The Bayonet, October 2, 1970. pp. 903, 908. Reference #2. He participated in numerous Rifle and Pistol shooting competitions, earning 57 National"Army Team Captures Pistol Trophy Match." The Bayonet, August 22, 1969. Reference #1, p. 757. and World"Top military shooters vie for World Championships." The Bayonet, September 25, 1970, Reference #2, p. 882."Expert Marksmen to represent U.S." The Bayonet, October 2, 1970. Reference #2, pp. 903, 908."Benning Rifle Team take 37 Championships." The Bayonet, July 2, 1970. Reference # 2, p. 597-598. Pistol Records, many Rifle and Pistol State Championships, Regional,"Gunners win Regional Tourney." The Bayonet, June 6, 1969. Reference #1, p. 515. Service,"Calvin Jensen, Clark, Meeks Repeat In All Army Matches." The Bayonet, June 13, 1969. Reference #1, p. 535. and Inter Service"MTU Gunners win Regional Tourney" The Bayonet, June 6, 1969. Reference #1, p. 515."Matches Held at Lackland Air Force Base," The Bayonet, September 5, 1969. Reference #1, p. 799."Pistol matches start today." The Bayonet, August 20, 1971. Reference #3, p. 663. Championships, U.S. Army Pistol Champion,Minor, Elliot, "Shooting Champions, Hezekiah Clark," American Rifleman, September 1971, p. 10. U.S. National Pistol Champion,"Clark sweeps shooting Tourney." The Bayonet, January 29, 1971. Reference #3, p.78."Fort Benning, Georgia, Takes Mid-Winter Pistol Title, USAMTU's Clark leads 242 National Shooters," The Bayonet, March 19, 1971. Reference #3, p.213."Clark to lead USAMTU in Fiesta Firing." The Bayonet, June 4, 1971. Reference #3, p. 435. and International Championship."Shooting Championship set for Benning." The Bayonet, February 19, 1971, Reference #3, p.138."USAMTU shooters win New Tournament Honors." The Bayonet, April 9, 1971. Reference # 3, p. 279.Dolan, Georgia, B. "Benning Personalities, International Marksman SFC. Hezekiah L. Clark, Jr." The Bayonet, September 24, 1971. Reference #3, p. 754.
He was a member of the 1972 Olympic gold-medallist teams in free pistol and centre fire pistol and was silver medallist in the centrefire pistol individual competition. Clark was the only triple medallist for the USA Marksmen."Shooting Team names Clark."The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 23, 1971.United States Olympic Committee.1972 United States Olympic Book, pp. 275, 276, 294 and 295. . He won the U.S. Marine Corps Rifle Team Championship (Lloyd Trophy) and tied the Marine match record for 600 yards. Of national records kept since 1882, as of 2014 he is one of only 34 to reach the august position of triple distinguished shooter, for Rifle, Pistol and International competitions.Rocketto, Hap, "A Short History of the Distinguished Shooter Program ." Civilian Marksmanship Program, p. 37.
Clark won the President's Hundred Tab in both rifle and pistol competition. He achieved the Lifetime Super Masters Classification. SFC Hezekiah Clark, who was assigned to the Army's famed Marksmanship Training Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia, was described as "the hottest gun on the pistol circuit" after his victoryLaCombe, Lee, "Clark Top Shooter." Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, March 12, 1971, pp. 2-C. in the International Centre Fire Pistol Match, where he fired a very credible 592 out of 600 points in the dual- stage event.LaComb, Lee, "Higgison, Clark Win." Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, March 13, 1970, pp. 5-C.
SFC Hezekiah Clark of New Orleans, Louisiana, snatched the lead in the Mid-Winter Pistol Champions at the Tampa Police Range. He won all three matches that he entered that year, posting 1,769 points of a possible 1,800 in eight matches.LaCombe, Lee, "Clark Top Gun So Far, Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, March 14, 1971. SFC Hezekiah Clark of New Orleans, Louisiana, refused to fold under pressure and captured the 35th annual Mid-Winter Championship, moving ahead of a star -studded field of 269 of the country's best pistol shooters. He chalked up a two-day total of 2,655 points of a possible 2,700.LaCombe, Lee, "Clark Captures 4th, '71 Shooting Title," Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, March 15, 1971, pp. 3-C.
Clark received a letter of congratulations on August 16, 1969, from James E. Fitzmorris Jr., Lieutenant Governor of the State of Louisiana, having earned the rating of Master Shooter, the highest rating of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), and being a member of the United States World Championship Team.
On September 2, 1969, he received a letter of congratulations from Louis F. Lucas, Executive Director of the National Rifle Association, for achieving membership in the exclusive NRA "2650 Club". He is a Legion of Honor Member of the National Rifle Association, and held NRA credentials as a Certified Instructor in Home Firearm Safety, Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun. Clark is a life member of the United States of America Shooting Team Alumni Association.
National and world awards Clark set an array of national records in National Rifle Association sanctioned tournaments in the .22 caliber team,National Record, .22 Caliber Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 1187-58x, November 14, 1969.National Record, .22 Caliber Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 2227, June 21, 1971. center fire team,National Record, Center Fire Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 1181-39x, November 14, 1969.National Record, Center Fire Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 300-15x, February 5, 1971. 45 caliber team, standard pistol team,National Record, Standard Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 2291, May 11, 1970. service pistol team,National Record, Service Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 1156-31x, November 18, 1970. center fire pistol team,National Record, Center Fire Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 2358, May 5, 1971. standard fire pistol team,National Record, Standard Fire Pistol Team, Open Record and Service Record Score 586, February 25, 1971. and air pistol.National Record, Air Pistol, Score 1137, Phoenix Gazette, Sec-4 Clark also earned several world champion titles, in the .22 Caliber Standard Pistol,XII Conseil International du Sport Militaire, World Champion, .22 Caliber, Standard Pistol, September 29, 1970 - October 7, 1970. Center Fire Pistol,XIII Conseil International du Sport Militaire, World Champion, Center Fire Pistol, Thune, Switzerland, July 10, 1971. and Military Rapid Fire Pistol.National Champion, .45 Caliber Rapid Fire, Camp Perry Ohio, August 22, 1969.XIII Conseil International du sport Militaire, World Champion, Military Rapid Fire, Thune, Switzerland, July 10, 1971.
Military career Clark served in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army during both the Korean War and the Vietnam War eras. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, U.S. Army Commendation Medal and U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Valorous Unit Award, the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam), U.S. Army Good Conduct Medal, U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Combat Infantryman Badge, and Drill Sergeant Badge. He received multiples of more than half of the above listed awards.
Fraternal organizations Clark achieved the rank of Grand Inspector General 33rd Degree Mason (Class of 1970).U.S. Army Newspaper, The Bayonet, Fort Benning, Georgia, Post shooter attains Mason's Highest Order , Bayonet January–December 1970, December 18, 1970, p. 1128 He is a member of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine of North and South America and Its Jurisdictions, Inc. (AEAONMS). He was also Worshipful Master-Phoenix Lodge #226, District Worshipful Master of the Year, District #1 and Assistant District Deputy Grand Master, District #9, of Louisiana. Under the authority of Sovereign Grand Commander Southern Jurisdiction JNO G. Lewis Jr., Grand Master of Louisiana, he served as the Senior Positioned Mason in the country of Vietnam, that of elected president of Beehive Masonic Study Club.
Clark was inducted into the New South Wales (Australia) Masonic Club, President Commanders of the Rite 33rd Degree, S.E. Louisiana Region, and Most Excellent High Priest, Bright Star Chapter #20. Established and Charter Eminent Commander of Hezekiah L. Clark Jr. Commandery #9. A couple of years later it became known as Nile Commandery #9.
He was Imperial Director, Temple Supervision, Shriner, President of Leesville Louisiana Shrine Club, Shrine Director Louisiana State Creation Team and Shrine Promotional Director for Louisiana.
Clark was Worthy Patron, Herion Chapter #71, Order of the Eastern Star, Worthy Patron, Phoenix Chapter #172, O.E.S., Associate Royal Patron, Alma Gilliam Chapter #14, Amaranth Court, Assistant Director Royal Council #11, Knights of Pythagoras, Board of Governors Phoenix Council #17, Knights of Pythagoras and a member of The Phylaxis Society (International Masonic Education Society).
Other affiliations Clark was a member of the American Legion Post #588, and a member of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (JC's), where he served as Internal Vice President and External Vice President. He attained the rank of Life Scout, Boy Scouts of America and he was Junior Assistant Scout Master, Troop #132, New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Post #15.
He was elected to The Democratic Executive Committee, District "E", and the president of the 9th Ward Citizen Voters League in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, and National Who's Who in the Lodging Industry. He is a lifetime member of the Montford Point U.S. Marine Association (MAL). Clark was a Louisiana State Commissioner Stress Analysts Board Member (Lie Detection), and a member of both the National and International Societies of Stress Analysts.