Ernest A. Clark served in the 512th Bomber Squadron, 376th Bomber Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator of B-24 #42-72768 nicknamed 'Ready, Willing, and Able' during World War II.

On December 28, 1943, the B-24 Liberator Ready, Willing, and Able was shot down during an intense air battle over northern Italy. The aircraft was part of a 376th Bomb Group mission targeting the railroad marshaling yards near Vicenza when the formation was intercepted by a large force of Axis fighters. All six B-24s from the 512th Squadron, including Ready, Willing, and Able, were lost in the engagement. The bomber crashed near Vicenza, resulting in five crew members killed in action, while the surviving crew member was captured and taken prisoner of war. The loss occurred amid a broader attack in which more than 70 Axis fighters assaulted the formation, leading to the destruction of multiple heavy bombers before and after the target area.

2Lt Clark was captured and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia. Currently, we don't have details about his post-war life, death, or burial location.

Source of information: aad.archives.gov, https://midwestflyer.com