Air War College dedicates new exhibit to World War II Royal Air Force flight cadets

Maj. Gen. Timothy Leahy, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education commander and Air University vice commander, left, and Rose Koch, daughter of Royal Air Force Lt. John Clark, flight cadet and flight instructor, right, unveil the display honoring the life and service of Clark Nov. 9, 2015 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Clark completed basic flight school at Gunter Field and advanced school at Maxwell Field, before becoming a flight instructor at Gunter Field. Clark’s family donated items to be displayed including his uniforms. (U.S. Air Force photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox/ Released)

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Air War College dedicates new exhibit to World War II Royal Air Force flight cadets

Published Nov. 13, 2015
By By Airman 1st Class Alexa Culbert
42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Air University's Air War College, part of the Carl A. Spaatz Center for Officer Education, unveiled its newest and first exhibit dedicated to World War II Royal Air Force flight cadets here November 9, 2015.

The exhibit displayed the uniforms and belongings of Gunter Field RAF flight cadet and flight instructor, Lt. John Clark, a Royal Air Force officer who instructed pilots at Maxwell.

Clark's daughter, Rose Koch donated the artifacts in hopes that her father's memory and legacy would live on and be known generations to come.

Air University RAF advisor and AWC instructor, RAF Group Captain Sean Harvey, spoke about the relationship between the U.S. and the United Kingdom and how honored he is to have the opportunity to celebrate the life and service of one of their own.

"You are about to hear about the life of Clark and his adventures in Alabama and I wanted to take a moment to highlight the importance of the assistance that the U.S. provided in flight training during WW II and how this fostered the relationship between Airmen to Airmen, which has flourished and endured ever since," said Harvey.

While serving at Maxwell and Gunter Fields, Clark met his wife and settled here in Alabama. Through the years, Clark left an impression on friends who came forward to share the impact he had on their lives.

"My role was to bring Clark back to life and convey what he meant in the relationship between our two countries and our Airmen," said retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Walter Givhan, friend of Clark's. "He was a great role model and a classic RAF pilot; he epitomized it in every way."

Givhan met Clark as a boy and was influenced by him to become a pilot himself.

The exhibit dedication honored Clark and his legacy and it will continue to honor the relationship our country has with our allies.

"This will remind us that our nations come together in times of conflict, but it's not nations that make friendships, it's people...It's those friendships that cement our nations together," said Maj. Gen. Timothy Leahy, Curtis E. Lemay Center for Doctrine Development and Education commander and Air University vice commander.