LITTELL, Clyde
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LITTELL, Clyde
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| Servicenumber: |
16041884 |
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| Age: |
24 |
| Born: |
1919, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan |
| Hometown: |
Wayne County, Michigan |
| Family: |
Keith D. Littell Sr. (Father)
Elizabeth S. (Robertson) Littell (Mother)
Shirlee E. Littell (Sister) |
| Rank: |
Technical Sergeant |
| Function: |
Engineer/ Top Turret Gunner |
| Regiment: |
- |
| Battalion: |
- |
| Division – Transport: |
8th Air Force |
| Company – Squadron: |
67th Bomber Squadron |
| Unit – Group: |
44th Bomber Group, Heavy |
Plane data:
(Serialnumber, MACR, etc.) |
Serialnumber: 41-23794
Type: B-24D
Destination: Dunkirk, France
Mission: Altitude Bombing
MACR: 16003 |
| Date of death: |
15 February 1943 |
| Status: |
MIA |
| Place of death: |
Between Dunkirk, France and North Foreland, England |
| Spot: |
Not available |
| Awards: |
Air Medal, Purple Heart |
| Gravenumber: |
Tablets of the Missing |
| Cemetery: |
American War Cemetery Ardennes |
| Biography: |
- |
| Other information: |
Clyde joined the Army Air Corps during WW.2 and was assigned to the 44th Bomber Group stattioned in England.
The following comments were filed by Major H.M. Light, "the airplane that I was on did not get any major flak damage and the pilot, Lt John H. Diehl, spotted Lt Oliphant, pilot of A/C 41-23794, and slowed up for him, as well as another ship piloted by Captain Thomas Cramer who a few minute slater managed to crash land his plane on the British beach. Lt Oliphant was slowly losing altitude when coming off the target. Then all of a sudden several FW 190's came out of the sun and started in on us. The sun blinded and hindered our gunners from firing. I operated my nose gun and only got about 3 bursts at them. My navigator, Lt George Kelley, only got off about the same number of shots with his side nose gun. The Jerries did a good job because they had us completely bewildered. On the first pass they got one of Cramer's engines; on the sedond pass they got another of his engines and set fire to one of Oliphant's. Then, on subsequent passes, the enemy fighters got a third engine on Cramer's and another on Oliphant's. At about half way between France and England, while still over the Channel, I noticed the engines afire on the left side of Oliphant's aircraft, and I also saw the nose of that ship filled with swirling flames. Then it looked like the fire swept back to the cockpit. Next thing I saw was the ship going down towards the sea. I did not see the plane strike the water but our tail gunner, Sgt Milford Spears stated over the interphone that the plane exploded as it hit the water. I did not see any chutes. |
Source of information: Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com MACR, www.findagrave.com
Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com/
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