Clark Franklin Rinehart was born in Ridgeway, Missouri, 30 May 1910.
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Rinehart enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve 30 April 1937, was appointed aviation cadet 22 July 1937, designated naval aviator 8 June 1938, appointed ensign for aviation duties in the U.S. Naval Reserve ranking from 1 August 1938, commissioned ensign in the United States Navy ranking from 1 June 1939; and appointed lieutenant (junior grade) for temporary service ranking from 1 November 1941. He was assigned successively to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida; Bombing Squadron 2 on board USS Lexington (CV-2); and Fighting Squadron 2 again on board Lexington.
Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross[]
He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement in aerial combat as pilot of a fighter plane in action against Japanese forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7 and 8 May 1942. His plane failed to return 8 May 1942.
Namesake[]
USS Rinehart (DE-196) was named in Lt. Rinehart's honor. The ship was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey, 21 October 1943; launched 9 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy Ruth Rinehart; and commissioned at New York 12 February 1944.
References[]
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Lundstrom, John B. (2005 (New edition)). The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway. Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-471-X.
- Rinehart
The original article can be found at Clark Franklin Rinehart and the edit history here.