Clarence Carlton Buck

Captain C.C. Buck was born in Presque Isle, Wisconsin. He enlisted in the Naval Aviation Program as a cadet in October 1942 and received his wings and commission as an Ensign in September 1944 at Corpus Christi, Texas. After completing night fighter training, he served in night fighter units in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and in Hawaii, Flying F6F Hellcats. He then served for three years in Fight Squadrons 20A and 193 aboard the Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers Boxer, Valley Forge, and Princeton.

He completed the Armed Forces Guided Missile School at Fort Bliss, Texas, and was then assigned to the USS Norton Sound operating in the Pacific Missile Range where he served as Missile Launching Officer, primarily engaged in the test and development firings of the Surface-to-Air missiles. An eighteen month tour in the Guided Missile Branch, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, followed. During this time, the first guided missiles were placed in operational status in the fleet. He was then ordered to the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California, where he earned a BS degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

In 1959, after completing jet training, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 21 as Executive Officer aboard USS Midway, participating in the Laotian Crisis off Vietnam. After sixteen months, he was ordered to the Naval War College as a student in the Naval Warfare Course. His next assignment was Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 14 (The Tophatters), the oldest squadron in Naval History. He flew F3B Demons and F4B Phantoms aboard the Mayport, Florida based carrier, F.D. Roosevelt. From there he was transferred to the USS Shangri-La as Air Operations and Operations Officer.

At the end of this two-year tour, he was promoted to Captain and received orders to the Fleet Training Group, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the head of the Aviation Section where he supervised the shakedown and refresher training of aircraft carriers as well as other ships of the Atlantic Fleet.

In February 1972, he established a new command in Miami, Florida, as part of the preparation for the All-Volunteer Force. As Commanding Officer of the South Florida Navy Recruiting District, he directed the Navy's recruiting effort from Clearwater to Key West as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Following his command's first full year of operation, it was rated as one of the top three Navy Recruiting Districts in the nation; Captain Buck's command received the Meritorious Unit Commendation and he received the Meritorious Service Medal for this sustained recruiting excellence during the Fiscal Year 1973. The following year, the Miami Recruiting District was again recognized as one of the top three in the nation.

Captain C.C. Buck retired from ComFairJax staff in July 1975. He is married to the former Trudy Smith of Corpus Christi, Texas. They have one son, Daryl, and two daughters, Denise and Doreen.

Captain Buck made his last carrier landing the morning of March 23, 2017.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 30th from 11am to 12:30pm at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel. A service will follow at 12:30pm. Captain C.C. Buck will be buried at Jacksonville National Cemetery.

Please Sign the guestbook at www.hardagegiddensoaklawnchapel.com

HARDAGE-GIDDENS, THE OAKLAWN CHAPEL, 4801 San Jose Blvd is serving the family.