Director Terrence Ward presents us with a screening of his DVD series, Arkansas Valor, with WWII Veteran Raymond W. Clark of Lake City, Arkansas.
Arkansas Valor is a docu-series that highlights the service of Arkansas Veterans from past and current conflicts. Giving unique perspectives from first-hand accounts of military service; first-hand accounts which you will not find in history books.
Written and directed by Terrence Ward, this episode highlights the story of Private Raymond W. Clark, a U.S. Army Veteran of WWII. Pvt. Clark would serve during the bloodiest battles of the war in Europe. The Invasion of Normandy, The Battle of the Bulge, and he came face to face with the reality of Hitler’s Final Solution. Awarded a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, Pvt. Clark shares only a portion of his experience in this half-hour film. He remarks: “It is too difficult to share some of these stories, even after 70+ years.” While some stories were too tough, the stories he did share will tug at your heart. Pvt. Clark gives his accounts of the Malmedy massacre in emotional detail.
Pvt. Clark stayed with Army until he was discharged in 1945 following an injury that forced him out. His story of courage, selflessness, and sacrifice are why we capture these stories. Arkansas Valor began capturing our heroes stories in April of 2017 as a project with the Wings of Honor Museum, a WWII Army Air Forces Museum, in Walnut Ridge, AR. Since that first interview, Arkansas Valor has been committed to capturing stores like Pvt. Clark’s in the hopes that young Americans would grow to appreciate the sacrifices of one generation for another.
Production began on October 24, 2017, and was concluded on November 5, 2017, with the film being published on FilmFreeway.com. It has since been entered into four film festivals:
The Digital Ticket Awards – Los Angeles, CA
Ozark Foothills FilmFest – Batesville, AR
Freep Film Festival – Detroit, MI
The Shortstack Film Festival – Toronto, Canada
It is the hope of the director that this film will be selected and go on to win at any or all of these festivals, so that Pvt. Clark’s story can be heard and appreciated by audiences of all ages.
Director Ward has this to say:
“I am honored to be able to capture the stories of our nation’s veterans who’ve served at home and abroad. Their selfless sacrifices have earned them a permanent place in the halls of history and in my heart. Capturing their stories is preserving our history. Perspectives of history that you will not find in textbooks. Perspectives that offer raw emotion and honesty in some of the most bleak of circumstances. Their tenacity to survive and defend our freedoms are expressed in these documentaries, yet their voice is united in one particular way. They do not seek glory. They do not seek recognition. They see it as just doing their duty. I hope that you will enjoy this film and the effort that was put into its production.”
If you are a veteran living in Arkansas and want to tell your story of service, whether it was in combat or stationed at home, please reach out to the creators of Arkansas Valor by emailing contact@twardmedia.com or visiting their website at www.TWardMedia.com. Stories like Pvt. Clarks can give us all a better perspective of what it means to be a hero and what the men and women of the armed forces have had to go through in protecting and preserving our freedoms. At 96 years old and married to his wife of 79 years, Pvt. Clark is a shining example of integrity and someone we can all strive to be.