William Paul Clements

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-44185.jpeg UPL 44185 A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed Lucky Strike.

Front row: Irving Moore, March Schneider, Wallace Chappell, Forrest Lane
Back row: Paul Ellis, Raplph Hooper, William Provonsha, Joseph Clement, Edmond Connors, Benjamin Dranhoff

PK Ellis’s grandson

Object Number - UPL 44185 - A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group, with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed Lucky Strike. Front row: Irving Moore, March Schneider, Wallace...

Shot down 30 May 1944 in B-17 41-39975 "Just Plain Lonesome"

William Paul Clements was an East Texas country boy, he grew up in Longview Texas, his father Vern was the local banker of his small town. William Paul Clements went by his middle name Paul. Paul was trained in navigation at Ellington AFB south of Houston, Tx. He loved going to visit our side of the family in Galveston, Tx. while stationed at Ellington. Paul had five brothers and two of his brothers also fought in World War II. Bill Clements was a pilot and flew the hump in Asia while "Bully" Clements fought with Patton's 3rd Army, both survived the war. Our family spent decades looking for Paul and his crews remains or "Just Plain Lonesome" to no avail.... interesting fact his niece, daughter of his brother Bill Clements, Dr. Mary Lou Clements-Mann was killed in the 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18075878 / O-753859
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Baltimore Oriole, Just Plain Lonesome
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron 324th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Longview, Texas, USA 27 August 1922 Son of Verne A and Ora [Blakey] Clements.

Based

Killed in Action (KIA)

Bassingbourn 13 April 1944 - 30 May 1944 Arrived at 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomb Group on April 13, 1944 flew 17 missions. Reported MIA May 30, 1944. Changed to “Presumed Deceased, Remains Not Recovered” September 10th 1945 (MACR 5355)

Died

Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany 30 May 1944 30 May 1944: On the 30th, Dessau, Germany, was again attacked for the second time this month. All reports indicate that the mission was very successful. Thirteen ships from this squadron took part. Enemy opposition, both from flak and fighters, was greater than it had been for some time. The flak was heavy and accurate and the fighters came right into the attack formation. The flak disabled ship 42-39975, and when it started out of formation, the fighters pounced on it. Our P-51 escort went to the rescue to drive them off, but still our bomber went down. The following crewmembers are missing in action: 1/Lt. Zack C. Collier, Pilot; 2/Lt. John T. Kelleher, Copilot; 2/Lt. William P. Clements, Navigator; 2/Lt. Henry J. McDermott, Jr., Bombardier; T/Sgt. Barry L. Ward, Engineer; S/Sgt. Tommy Cogdill, Waist Gunner; T/Sgt. Stephen Kogut, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. George R. Zirnheld, Ball Turret Gunner; and S/Sgt. Charles J. Semon, Tail Gunner. This was an excellent crew, experienced and well trained. The average number of missions to their credit was sixteen. This proves that any crew is likely to “go down” no matter how well trained and experienced they may be. (323rd DAILIES, 1944, May Prepared by Capt. Laurence E. Baird)

Buried

Tablets of the Missing Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

Buried

Old LaGrone Clements Cemetery, Longview Heights, TX Memorialised Old LaGrone Clements Cemetery, Longview Heights, Texas

Revisions

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56288607/william-paul-clements
Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

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Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

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Pyrotek40
MACR 5355
323rd DAILIES, 1944, Prepared by Capt. Laurence E. Baird

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ContributorAAM
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5355 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

William Paul Clements: Gallery (3 items)