Behind enemy lines
Published on April 28th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - There's no mistaking the sight as you drive up Tremont Street and head for the Clark household, the home of 40 years for local residents Kay and Ed Clark. Bright yellow ribbons wrapped around trees, carefully attached to exterior doors, the colorful reminders adorning nearly everything up and down the street.
The genuinely American folk symbol for soldiers fighting in a faraway war has meaning for the entire Stoneham neighborhood, but holds a special place for the Clarks.
That's because their 33-year-old son Kenneth "Ted" Clark was called into active duty with C-Company, 3-172 Mountain Infantry of the New Hampshire National Guard shortly after Christmas.
According to Clark's mother, the 1989 graduate of Stoneham High School is one of three infantrymen operating convoy humvees that regularly travel in the veritable hornets' nest otherwise known as northern Iraq.
"He got the notice two days before Christmas," said Kay, her Support the Troops rally T-shirt decorated with a pair of Old Glory pins flanking a yellow ribbon pin. "He left on January 5."
"He's a gunner on the humvees in the convoy," added Clark. "He's one of the guys that you see on the TV all the time. He's right in there. Right now it's terribly dangerous."
Clark entered the service shortly after graduating from Stoneham High School, and was stationed in Germany during the Persian Gulf War. The then 18-year-old was packed and ready to head to Iraq if needed during that skirmish, but never ended up leaving his European post.
After the war ended, Clark returned home and settled into an apartment in Melrose where he began studying English and Political Science at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Clark had been working and living life just like everybody else, until war broke out again in Iraq.
"When the Iraqi war started, he joined," said Kay Clark, who has become a "news junkie" since her son's departure. "He's a quiet guy, you know. He doesn't go around pouting or bragging about things...so we didn't realize at the time that he had signed up because of the war."
Clark spent the first year working as a Manchester National Guardsmen after reenlisting, but then got the fateful call several days after deciding to re-up for a second year.
"A week after he re-upped, he was sent to Iraq," said Kay Clark, who then recounted the evening that Ted got the call that he was headed to the Middle East. "He called me right after he spoke with his Sergeant and told me (he was going to Iraq). His buddy (who was with Ted when he got the call) was so funny 'I was sitting there practically crying because my buddy was going to Iraq and he was so calm and cool talking to his sergeant'"
According to Ed Clark, a Korean War veteran himself, his son spent a month at Ft. Dix in New Jersey getting training and then spent time in Kuwait adjusting their bodies to the heat and the sand environment.
The Clarks have corresponded with their son several times in the last two months, but the lines of communication aren't the easiest. Long lines of military wait for hours to use the phone or send of E-mail, and families of military see astronomical phone calls after calling their family members in Iraq.
Kay Clark says that he has a hard time leaving the house, though, because she never knows when Ted might call to check in. In fact, the kitchen clock that hangs above the sink remains eight hours ahead, reminding the household of the current time in Iraq.
"Ted would probably call at the end of the day over in Iraq, so I'm always looking at the clock to make sure I'm home at those times...I'm not going to be out when he calls," said Clark, whose son has been told he will be in Iraq for 12-18 months. "They really can't say much over the phone, because anything can be picked up on the computer or over the phone."
His parents express great concern for Ted's safety knowing "that many convoys have been disrupted this month", but they also acknowledge that their son is fulfilling his commitment to the country that he loves.
"I have three thoughts on this (my son being in Iraq," said Clark. "I pray to God that he's going to be safe; my second thought is that he is so proud to serve his country that no mother could ever be opposed to that; the third thing is that he wants to make a better world for his nieces and nephews, as well as all the other children...he feels that his mission is right."
According to his mother and father, Clark is a major history buff and was always fascinated with the Civil War as a youngster.
The love of history may have been part of Clark's knowledge for those in the past who sacrificed for their country, and the pride he feels in protecting his homeland.
Clark is also a beloved uncle to a number of nieces and nephews, a number of which sing the Star-Spangled Banner on Tremont Street at noontime, and "then blow kisses to Uncle Ted wherever he is."
"His three-year-old niece says that her uncle is off fighting the bad guys," said Kay Clark.
Whether it's the little child-like voices singing their Patriotic ode, or the yellow ribbons filling up the quiet neighborhood, there's no mistaking the mixture of appreciation and love on Tremont Street for one of Stoneham's boys serving his country.
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