Category: History || By Jason Togyer

A Veteran's Day special:

14-Year-Old Paratrooper Doesn't Want to Go to School

The Pittsburgh Press, Nov. 2, 1944

A full-fledged Army paratrooper will be returning to his classes in the sixth grade of McKeesport's West Side School within another few days, and the thought of getting his history and other lessons is quite disturbing to 14-year-old Pvt. Jimmy Clark.

Pvt. Clark, one of the Pittsburgh district's youngest under-age soldiers, is back home with his mother, Mrs. Margaret Clark, of 310 W. Fifth Ave., after being honorably discharged from the Army when his age was learned.

Two weeks ago, Pvt. Jimmy was at Ft. George Mead in Maryland with the other members of his outfit, awaiting shipment overseas. He had passed his final paratroop training in which he made six jumps at Ft. Benning, Ga., but at Fort Mead the truth came out that he was only 14.

So Pvt. Jimmy was sent home. Today his mother says he won't eat and he definitely says he isn't going to return to his school classes after all the training he has had in the Army, "which is just where I want to be," according to the young private.

He managed to get into the Army last Dec. 4, when his draft board in McKeesport called him after he had registered, saying that he had just reached his 18th birthday. Jimmy wasn't doubted because he stood five feet seven inches tall and weighed 160 pounds.

His action followed the news that a brother, Sgt. Robert Clark, 22, and the only other son of Mrs. Clark, had died of wounds suffered in fighting at Guadalcanal.

"Jimmy had told me of his plan," said his mother today, "and I helped to keep his secret. He never liked school and I felt that in the Army he would be in good care, would have good food and everything he needed." She said she didn't know what Jimmy would do, or how she was going to get him back in school. She said she didn't know, nor did Jimmy, how the Army found out that he was under-age.

Pvt. Jimmy will continue to wear his Army uniform for 30 days following his discharge, which became effective Oct. 24. He wears the pin of the paratroopers and also the Army Air Force wings, as well as a medal he was awarded for becoming a sharpshooter while on the range.

"I'd like for Jimmy to go to a military school, if I could only afford it," said his mother. Jimmy agreed that he'd like this, too, in preference to returning to his classes in McKeesport.

. . .

A follow-up story the next day quoted McKeesport School Superintendent J.H. Lawson as saying that Jimmy "must attend school."

"Whether he'll have to go back to his own classes, however, I cannot say at this time," Lawson told the Press. "There is a chance that we may be able to make a special concession in his case and offer him a chance to attend our vocational school where he could take up auto mechanics, other machine work or industrial art."

. . .

In February, the Press reported that Clark had been made the "youngest member of Burt Foster Post No. 361 of the American Legion," but that his troubles had continued.

The Legion post had arranged for Clark to attend Pittsburgh's Connelly Trade School, but he left after one day. They then secured a permit so that he could work in a defense plant, and he quit after three days.

"The Army is the only place I want to be," Clark said.

. . .

In August, an article reports that Clark --- then 15 and still wearing his Army uniform --- was arrested in a bar on Fifth Avenue and held for juvenile court. After that, we can't seem to find any other articles about McKeesport's only 14-year-old paratrooper.