Naval History and Heritage Command

George Clark fought in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War and in China during the Boxer Rebellion.  He also instructed English at the U.S. Naval Academy and co-wrote A Short History of the United States Navy, which functioned as the Academy’s history textbook for many years.  He retired as Judge Advocate of the Navy.  After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878, Clark spent the better part of the next twenty years at sea duty aboard multiple ships.  He served on the gunboat USS Yorktown (Gunboat No. 1) during the Philippine Insurrection and Boxer Rebellion.  Upon returning to the United States from Asia, Clark underwent compass instruction and served as navigator on USS Monongahela (Screw Sloop-of-War) from 1902 until her decommissioning in 1905.  He commanded USS Texas (Battleship No. 35) from September 1906-August 1907 and then did a second stint as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy.  He served as head of the English Department for three years, while simultaneously commanding USS Iowa (Battleship No. 5) as Commander of the Naval Academy’s Practice Squadron.  In 1912, he became Commandant of the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes Illinois and Superintendent of 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th Naval Districts.   His next assignment was Secretary of Navy’s Aide for Education and senior member of the Naval and Marines Examining Boards. He became Commandant of Naval Station Hawaii August 1916 and in 1917 was assigned responsibility for the defense of Oahu as well.  During World War I he returned to the United States as Judge Advocate General until his retirement in 1921.

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