Clarence R Nelson
Military ROLL OF HONOURDOUGLAS Long Beach C/N 811X
Line No. 21X Delivered c. MAR. 1943
NOTE: 42-3173 and 3177 were assigned to the 351st BG.
The crew is alleged as that of the
351st BG, 510th BS. associated with
a later B-17G-BO 42-31763.
"Ten Horsepower"
Back Row, L-R:
S/Sgt. Archibald Mathies;
Sgt. Joseph F. Rex;
Sgt. Carl W. Moore;
Sgt, RussellR. Robinson;
Sgt. Thomas R. Sowell;
Sgt. Magnus A. Hagbo.
Front Row, L-R:
2nd. Lt. Clarence R. Nelson;
F/O Ronald E. Bartley;
2nd. Lt. Walter E. Truemper;
2nd. Lt. Joseph R. Martin.
The image is a B-17F with a Douglas line number and Long Beach style underside demarcation. These features are in contrast to the later B-17G-BO 42-31763.
Killed in action in B-17 'Ten Horsepower' #42-31763 on 20 February 1944. With co-pilot dead and Lt. Nelson severely wounded, Sergeant Archie Mathies and Lt. Truemper (neither pilots) chose not to bail out but attempted to land plane outside Polebrook to save Lt. Nelson. Plane nosed into hillside and Truemper and Mathies were killed. Lt. Nelson died later that day.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ten Horsepower
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 20 February 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Killed on Mission |
20 February 1944 | ||
Buried |
Rock Island National Cemetery, Illinois |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Information provided by Keith Morris, Pathfinder Heritage Centre, RAF Wyton. Words and images by kind permission of Rick School (USA).
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Chronology Supplement, 1942-45; p. 82. The 351st Bomb Group in WWII., Harbor, Harris, 1980. P. 33-34.