Racine Remembers a Hero
Dr. Laurel Clark who grew up in Racine, WI and was one of the Seven astronauts led by Commander Rick Husband aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107. The 16-day dual-shift mission in which dozens of experiments were conducted round-the-clock for more than 70 international investigators in areas of astronaut health and safety, advanced technology development and Earth & space sciences. The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry 38 miles above Texas on February 1, 2003.
Dr. Laurel Blair Salton Clark who was born in Ames, Iowa on March 10, 1961 grew up in Racine, WI and always considered it to be her hometown. The oldest of four children, Clark graduated from Racine Horlick High School in 1979, as a nearly straight-A student.
Clark went on to receive her bachelor of science degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983 and a doctorate in medicine from the same school in 1987. She was certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and held a Wisconsin medical license.
During medical school she did active duty training with the Diving Medicine Department at the Naval Experimental Diving Unit in March 1987. After completing medical school, Dr. Clark underwent postgraduate Medical education in Pediatrics from 1987-1988 at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.
The following year she completed Navy undersea medical officer training at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute in Groton, Connecticut and diving medical officer training at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida, and was designated a Radiation Health Officer and Undersea Medical Officer.
Clark and her husband, Jonathan B. Clark, met while she was then assigned as the Submarine Squadron Fourteen Medical Department Head in Holy Loch Scotland. During that assignment she dove with US Navy divers and Naval Special Warfare Unit Two Seals and performed numerous medical evacuations from US submarines. After two years of operational experience she was designated as a Naval Submarine Medical Officer and Diving Medical Officer.
After 6 months of aeromedical training at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola, Florida and was designated as a Naval Flight Surgeon. and she was then stationed at MCAS Yuma, Arizona and assigned as Flight Surgeon for a Marine Corps AV-8B Night Attack Harrier Squadron (VMA 211). She made numerous deployments, including one overseas to the Western Pacific, practiced medicine in austere environments, and flew on multiple aircraft. Her squadron won the Marine Attack Squadron of the year for its successful deployment. Later she was assigned as the Group Flight Surgeon for the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG 13). Prior to her selection as an astronaut candidate she served as a Flight Surgeon for the Naval Flight Officer advanced training squadron (VT-86) in Pensacola, Florida.
During her service she was awarded three Navy Commendation Medals, the National Defense Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
Selected by NASA in April 1996, Dr. Clark reported to the Johnson Space Center in August of 1996. After completing two years of training and evaluation, she was qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. From July 1997 to August 2000 Dr. Clark worked in the Astronaut Office Payloads/Habitability Branch. Timothy Haviland, her cousin, died during the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. She left training to attend his funeral.
Even before being assigned to the Shuttle Columbia STS-107, Dr. Clark had already used her medical and scientific expertise to help create an astronaut treadmill which is currently in use on the International Space Station.
Laurel Clark leaves behind her husband and eight year old son who currently live in Huston, TX.
Dr. Laurel Clark along with Col. Ilan Ramon, Col. Rick Husband, Cmdr. William McCool, Lt. Michael Anderson, Capt. David Brown and Dr. Kalpana Chawla died when the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up 38 Miles over Texas on Saturday, February 1, 2003.
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