Clifton Rozelle Freeman
Military
media-53664.jpeg
UPL 53664
Lt. Clifton Freeman's crew.
Back row, left to right: S/Sgt Kenneth Grothouse, bombardier;, Lt. Clifton Freeman, pilot; Lt. Hoy Bonnet, co-pilot; Cpt. Welburn, photographer.
Front Row: S/Sgt. James Ley engineer/gunner; Sgt. Lath, tail gunner; Sgt. George Luke, radio operator.
Welburn and Lath were not part of the crew on the day that Freeman's crew was shot down. On that day, Sgt. John Smith was the tail gunner, and Lt. John Smith was the photographer.
Identifications provided in a letter from Lt. Freeman's mother to the mother of James Ley dated November 24, 1944, as part of the James Ley Collection at Grinnell College: https://digital.grinnell.edu/islandora/object/grinnell:jimmy-ley
Back row, left to right: S/Sgt Kenneth Grothouse, bombardier;, Lt. Clifton Freeman, pilot; Lt. Hoy Bonnet, co-pilot; Cpt. Welburn, photographer.
Front Row: S/Sgt. James Ley engineer/gunner; Sgt. Lath, tail gunner; Sgt. George Luke, radio operator.
Welburn and Lath were not part of the crew on the day that Freeman's crew was shot down. On that day, Sgt. John Smith was the tail gunner, and Lt. John Smith was the photographer.
Identifications provided in a letter from Lt. Freeman's mother to the mother of James Ley dated November 24, 1944, as part of the James Ley Collection at Grinnell College: https://digital.grinnell.edu/islandora/object/grinnell:jimmy-ley
From Tim Ley, nephew of James Ley
Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Ray-Sur-Authie, FR 29-Feb-44; hit by flak stbd engine feathered dropped out of formation salvoed bombs, Crashed Abbeville, FR Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 2455
Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 451st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18045325 / O-664504
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 451st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15084995
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 451st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17105972
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 451st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35385508
- Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 4th Army Air Force Combat Camera Unit
- Service Numbers: O-560349
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Photographer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
- Nicknames: Denalis Cheechakoo
- Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 451st Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Great Saling
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Summit County, OH | 10 June 1923 | Son of John C and Anna Lee Freeman. Born Virginia ?? Entered service Summit County, Ohio |
Enlisted |
Cleveland, OH | 30 March 1942 | Cleveland, Ohio |
Died |
Abbeville, France | 29 February 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) Ray-Sur-Authie, FR 29-Feb-44 in B-26 41-34856; crashed Abbeville, FR KIA MACR 2455 |
Buried |
Emanuel United Church of Christ Cemetery Doylestown, Wayne County, OH | Re-Interred Emanuel United Church of Christ Cemetery Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio | |
Based |
Andrews Field | 29 February 1944 | Assigned to 451BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. |
Barberton, OH |