Amy Clark and her husband, Joe Carter Clark, a U.S. Air Force veteran, were looking for volunteer opportunities in their community. They decided on The American Legion Family because they could not only volunteer, but honor their family’s legacy of service to our country.
 
“My husband and I entered our empty-nest years and sought a meaningful way to stay connected to the military community that has shaped our lives, as well as honoring a commitment to my dad so that I could continue his work and service,” said Clark. “What began as a simple search for a meaningful volunteer opportunity soon became a personal mission to honor my late father and carry forward a proud military legacy that spans generations of my family.”
 
Clark is now a member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 129 and the American Legion Riders in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. 
 
Her grandfather, Albert Forte, served in the U.S. Army. Her father, Durwood Forte, followed in her grandfather’s footsteps and served in the U.S. Navy. He served during the Vietnam War and Cuban Missile Crisis.
 
“His devotion to country inspired my lifelong respect for the men and women who serve,” said Clark. 
 
Her great-grandfather, Wilbur Hawthorne, served during World War I in the U.S. Army, and her grandfather, Frank Hawthorne, served in the U.S. Army Air Force (predecessor of the U.S. Air Force), stationed in England during WWII. While serving in England, he met her grandmother, Mary Brigid Clerkin, an Irish nurse caring for wounded soldiers. 
 
After the war, Clark’s grandparents married before returning to the United States.
 
“My grandmother and my mom came to America aboard the Queen Mary with the other war brides, bringing with them a story of hope and new beginnings that became the foundation of my grandma’s American journey,” said Clark. “Last summer, for my mother’s 80th birthday, I had the privilege of taking her to California to revisit the Queen Mary, now permanently docked in Long Beach. Standing together on the same ship that carried her and my grandma across the Atlantic so many years ago was deeply emotional. The history, the stories, and their incredible courage all came alive once again.”
 
In addition to her father and grandparents, Clark’s great-uncle, Pfc. Dorsey Shuler, served in the U.S. Army. Unfortunately, Shuler was killed in action during WWII.
 
The military legacy continues today with Clark’s son, Carter, and daughter, Carley. Carter is serving in the U.S. Navy.
 
“His service fills us with pride and gratitude, knowing that the family’s devotion to service lives on,” said Clark. “Our daughter, Carley, plans on joining the military after completion of nursing school. 
 
“For me, the Legion Family isn’t just an organization — it’s home, heart, and heritage,” said Clark. “It represents every brave soul in my family and every veteran whose sacrifice continues to shape the freedoms we honor every day.”