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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Memories of Old HIALEAH, Florida - Historical Photo Galleries and Commentaries - click on image to view and read > Memorial Board for Vietnam Helicopter Crews KIA - Mark Clotfelter from the Hialeah High Class of 1966
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22-MAR-2003 Don Boyd

Memorial Board for Vietnam Helicopter Crews KIA - Mark Clotfelter from the Hialeah High Class of 1966

2003 Florida International Air Show, Punta Gorda, FL

(Note: Mark was in the HHS Class of 1966, not 1965 as stated on the image)
1827 views on http://www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos before relocation here on 9/25/06.
U. S. Army Warrant Officer (W-1) Mark Clotfelter began his tour in Vietnam on September 25, 1968 and assigned to the 361st Aviation Company Escort "The Pink Panthers" at Camp Holloway in the Central Highlands. He flew AH-1G Cobra helicopters and was fatally shot down on June 16, 1969, while serving as aircraft commander. He was 22 years old and was the 22nd military Killed In Action from our hometown of Hialeah, FL.

A memorial site for Mark is at http://www.virtualwall.org/dc/ClotfelterMD01a.htm

From http://www.flyarmy.org/K10395.HTM

CLOTFELTER MARK DENNIS

Name: WO1 Mark Dennis Clotfelter (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 06/16/1969 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 22.2 - Date of Birth: 04/04/1947 - Home City: Hialeah, FL
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 361 AVN, (ESCORT)- Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-9 - Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army - The Wall location: 22W-057
Short Summary: Hit by small arms fire and crashed on a bunker killing 2 NVA on road clearing patrol with WO1 Michael Allen Mahowald co-pilot/gunner.
Aircraft: AH-1G tail number 67-15763 - Call sign: Panther 18 - Service number: W3161105
Country: South Vietnam - MOS: 100B - Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Hostile Fire - Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns - Vehicle involved: helicopter - Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 09/25/1968
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Location: Kontum Province II Corps
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed - Casualty type: Hostile - killed
Single male U.S. citizen - Race: Caucasian - Religion: Protestant - no denominational preference
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: Warrant Officer
This record was last updated on 08/10/1997


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Don Boyd26-Sep-2012 19:04
Susan, thank you for the updates on Mark, why he was in the class of 1966 and the family. He's gone but not forgotten! If I ever find the orginal image I will change it to reflect the class of 1966 instead of 1965.

Don
SUSAN CLOTFELTER JIMISON 26-Sep-2012 02:45
Patrick Clotfelter passed away on New Years Day a few years back. His brother Mike is also gone.
SUSAN CLOTFELTER JIMISON 26-Sep-2012 02:44
And Joe Clotfelter, Jr. was omitted from my previous message.
SUSAN CLOTFELTER JIMISON 26-Sep-2012 02:43
Hi! Mark Clotfelter's sister Susan here. Mark was held back in 3rd grade in a different State. Pretty sure it had something to do with our family moving too much. Our cousins Mike, Patrick and none of us graduated the same year. It seems there was a Clotfelter graduating every year from 61-72. I was the last one! Thank you for remembering Mark. It has been over 40 years and we still miss him. This is a great site. I appreciate all the work and effort put into it.
Greg Hattaway 11-Jul-2010 20:24
I suppose there was an error in the yearbook in 1964. Yearbooks tended to have all sorts of errors in those pre-computer days. Mark once told me he was held back a year in primary school thus, he would have graduated on time with the class of 1966. I don't recall Mark having a brother. I remember he was the older brother to three sisters whom he loved very much. He certainly was an outstanding young man, that I am sure of.
Don Boyd02-May-2010 20:08
Thank you for writing in. Strange on the class year because the student directory shows him as a junior in 63-64, same as me, and as a junior again in the 64-65 directory. I didn't realize he was held back or whatever. Thanks for the correction.

Don
Guest 02-May-2010 19:28
I knew Mark well. He actually graduated with the class of 1966. Look in the 1966 class photos on Hialeahhigh.com and you will find Mark's photo. Love your site.
Don Boyd25-Apr-2007 02:59
It could be since it's not a common last name. I've heard from Mark's sister Susan but not Patrick. Don
Guest 25-Apr-2007 01:00
Was this the older brother of Patrick Clotfelter who graduated HHS in 1971?