CORPORAL BEN CLARK

Real Name: Ben Clark

Identity/Class: Human (Post-World War II Era)

Occupation: Linesman

Group Membership: U.S. Army Signal Corps

Affiliations: U.S. Army, a sergeant

Enemies: Chinese Army

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: San Francisco, California, USA

First Appearance: Battle I#70/3 (June, 1960)

Powers/Abilities: Ben Clark was trained as a Signal Corps linesman, giving him excellent education as an electrician; he primarily worked to repair cut communication wires. He carried a pistol in combat.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 175 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(Battle I#70/3) - During the Korean War, Corporal Ben Clark served as a linesman in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. One winter during the war, artillery attacks from the Chinese communist army broke an important wire used in the Army's communication line, thus cutting off the Army from contact with the rest of their forces. The Army ordered the Signal Corps to send a linesman to fix the wire, and Corporal Clark was chosen. Ben boarded the sidecar of an Army motorcycle which brought him to an Army field headquarters near where the wire was broken. The Army staff were preparing for a "big push" and needed communication all the way across their line so ordered Ben to fix it.

    When Ben reached the place where the wire was broken, he found enemy artillery was still going off around the area. Alone, he bravely dashed through a break in the artillery fire and found the broken wire. Just as he finished splicing the wire back together, a patrol of Chinese infantry charged at him. Ben shot at least one of the enemy soldiers but was himself wounded. Suddenly, an artillery shell landed on the enemy patrol, killing them all. Ben passed out near the crater left where the patrol had died. As the "big push" went ahead, U.S. soldiers found Ben and their medics carried him to safety.

    Ben was shipped back to San Francisco to recuperate from his injuries. The Army decorated him for bravery. One day he entered a diner wearing his medals. A civilian who saw Ben scoffed at his medals, saying that a linesman wasn't a "fightin' man" and claimed he was wearing those medals just to impress his girlfriend. At this, an infantry sergeant who was seated next to the civilian, punched him, knocking him off his stool. The sergeant knew Ben had earned his medals and angrily told the civilian he had "something to learn about the men who keep this country free for you..."

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer, Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta.

   

   

   

   

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Ben Clark should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
Battle I#70/3, page 2, panel 2 (main)
Battle I#70/3, page 3, panel 3 (face)

Appearances:
Battle I#70/3 (June, 1960) - unidentified writer, Jack Kirby (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 08/28/2026
Last updated: 08/28/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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