Mike Clark




	Email Webmaster


Mike Clark, GMSN-Retired CWO (Gunner)









					December 2004

Your article about the night of the Haiphong attack brought back many memories. I was in the Asroc Launching Control room that night and actually got to fire the second Shrike missile. Ernie Lyons fired the first one and he let me fire the second. I was an Asroc Gunnermate Sn Michael Clark (retired in 1991 as a Chief Warrant Officer (Gunner). My best days in the Navy were on the Rowan..from June 71 to Jan 74...I remember you well, as you were always lending me money for a slight fee ofcourse Haahahah!..Your right about many things..we did have a tight crew almost a family it seems..We all looked out for each other. I guess that day when we left San Diego for Yokuska we knew all we had was each other for the next couple of years..Keep up the good work..The site is awesome
remember the photo well, rag wrapped around my head with a paint scraper cleaning that luncher tube..The Molly-B (black graphite) would get in your hair and never come out..How about those endless After Steering Watches?.. I tried to contact Ernie via his email but it came back as a bad mailbox. Wrote him a letter , wish I could find his right email address and tell him how much he meant to

me as a young seaman..My first sea daddy so to speak. After I left the Rowan I reported to the Uss John Paul Jones, decided to stay in and continued with tours on the Uss Schnectady, Uss Vancouver ,USS Saratogo, USS Shasta ,USS Roberts and tours at Rota Spain, Rtc San Diego (Company Commander) and Fleet Training Group. In 1986 I curated and founded the first POW/MIA Museum which is now a National Museum located in Georgia. it's funny about your movie star comment. I was the Pao Officer at Ntc when they filmed Top Gun and was their host for 9 months, as a result I got a bit stand in part in the movie. Was also in the Flight of the Intruder (as a guy walking past Danny Glover on the flight deck). So much for my film career.I can remember all the guys from the Rowan, like I said in a 20 plus year career, it was those days on the Rowan that are the most memorable and fun..Yep use to have to go down to the Sonar room and sweep up all those roaches left behind..I live In Oceanside now with my wife, Kristi. I have 5 kids and 6 grand kids. My God where has the time gone!