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More than 30 years have passed since those gallant few held back the Chinese hordes that converted the Korean War into a “new war” in 1950-1951. One of those stalwarts was a West Virginian, <em>Clarence Virgil Slack Jr.,</em> of the United States Air Force.</p>
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It was much to my distress that Captain C.V. Slack had not been memorialized in our ASSEMBLY obituary. I share the blame for this neglect and hasten to rectify the omission.</p>
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I first met “Cork" when he was seventeen on 16 July 1941 in the 18th Division Beast Barracks days. There were two fine roommates—Cork and Barney C, Schneckloth. Corky was the youngest plebe in our regiment. We were in that 2d echelon of plebes during the rapid expansion of the academy at that time.</p>
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As a cadet "CV” was a very determined and studious person who found academics a real challenge, but who spared no idle time in achieving a ranking at one instance of number two in Spanish—a language he had never heard in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was quiet and reserved and his obsession was the airplane and the U.S. Army Air Corps. He had an overpowering ambition to be a fighter pilot and he achieved this goal like a summa-cum-laude graduate.</p>
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His most famous quote when our morale was low in good old “D” Company, First Regiment of Cadets, was: "Anything worth having is worth fighting for!" His other love was his family and Wheeling, West Virginia. CV's classmates learned true esprit de corps and love for home and country from this West Virginian. While a cadet on plebe maneuvers with General Oliver’s 5th Armored Division at Pine Camp, New York, he would he remembered for lecturing us on the local astronomy. Every time I look into the heavens at the Big Dipper, Polaris or Cassiopeia, I remember Cork and his wonderful outlook on life. His mind was always alert. His physical prowess was very evident in team sports like basketball and swimming. He strove to be the first in everything he did. When he wasn't in class he’d be studying or at the gym. His ideology was always before him—that "All good things come from the sweat of the brow,”</p>
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We roomed together for about 20 months in the 18th Division Barracks, next to the Guard House and the daily Officer-of-the-Day pageantry, when the advent of yearling year Army Air Corps training swept us across country in April 1944. Cork went to Corsicana, Texas, and I went to Bonham, Texas. Barney Schneckloth was die-hard Infantry and consequently remained behind. During these crucial war years 50% of the trainees were washed out in a few months but Corky prevailed. I didn't see much of him after aviation training.</p>
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After graduation CV went to transition training in B-17’s and school at Orlando. In 1946 he served in bomber units in Europe. He later flew P-38s (except for flight during the Berlin Airlift) out of Neubiberg, Germany, with the 526th Fighter Squadron. After Germany he was assigned to the 325th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was during this assignment that he and Jean Shepherd were married in New York City in 1950, Jean and Cork lived in Las Vegas while Cork trained in F-80 jet fighters at Nellis AFB.</p>
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November 1950 found Cork assigned to the 86th Fighter Bomber Croup in Korea in the support of the Eighth Army. It was during those critical months, immediately after the Chinese entered, that he was declared missing in action (MIA) while flying with the squadron in an attack on an anti-aircraft gun site in North Korea on 14 March 1951. The site was not destroyed so Cork turned back to get it. The site was neutralized but Cork was hit. There was never any proof of his death. He was carried as MIA until 31 December 1953, when he was officially declared dead. I heard from some classmates who reported that Cork as an F-86 Saber Jet pilot had four MICS to his credit. He earned the Silver Star which was received by his wife, Jean.</p>
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I feel Cork would have made four stars had fate not intervened. He was an outstanding cadet and a great pilot as well as a compassionate human being. When I first heard he was missing in action I felt he might be in one of those U. S. Air Force Prisoner of War prisons somewhere in China, but there is no evidence to support this last vestige of hope.</p>
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Every time I hear that West Virginia anthem, "Country Roads, West Virginia" I think of Cork. West Virginia can be proud of CV Slack, a Man's Man, A Jet Ace and a U. S. Air Force hero.</p>
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Cork’s wife, Jean, later met Barney and they were married in 1954.</p>
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The USAF and the Corps are proud of one of its finest sons—Clarence Virgil Slack Jr. His devotion and commitment to God and country are unsurpassed. May his soul be where the heroes are and his memory shine like the morning star—brave and dear and always near.</p>
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<em>—R.X. Sheffield and Jean Hatter</em></p>