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Submit- Full
name
BRYAN, Clifford Zirkle - Date of
birth
9 November 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Hamblen County, Tennessee -
Hometown
Hamblen County, Tennessee
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-551168 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
603rd Bombardment Squadron,
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
13 July 1944 - Place of
death
Near Brussel, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 29 | 9 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank W. Bryan (father)
Ida F. (Hung) Bryan (mother)
Agnest Bryan (sister)
Mary Bryan (sister)
William G. Bryan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97348 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Munich, Germany
MACR: 7498
More information
2nd Lt Clifford Z. Bryan graduated from Morristown High School in 1940.He joined the U.S. Army Reserve at Barksdale Field, Louisiana on 9 September 1942 and was sent overseas in July 1944.
We were flying lead of the second element of the lead group. Being the tail gunner, I saw flak behind and to the left of our wing. The formation was in the vicinity of Brussels and traveling south-east at about 0745 or 0750.
Lt Foster's ship was evidently hit just after the waist or forward of the tail empennage. The tail section disintegrated and the bulk of the ship with four engines going, proceeded into a slow, flat spin. The ship continued downward with small pieces of fuselage falling as it continued its descent.
I watched the ship go down to the cloud height, which I figured to be approximately thirteen to fifteen thousand feet. I saw one chute open just before the ship disappeared into the clouds.
- Statement from Dave F. Walker, ASN 16052236, S/Sgt 600 Bomb Squadron, Tail Gunner B-17G - 42-102599
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Luke P. Greene, Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Boek 43-14, Victorville Army Air Field, California, Morristown High School, 1940