Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
CLEMENTS, Frank Braden Jr - Date of
birth
27 April 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-436962 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
485th Fighter Squadron,
370th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 November 1944 - Place of
death
South of Schmidt, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 43 | 23 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank B. Clements (father)
Clara M. Clements (mother)
Betty Clements (sister)
Clare Clements (sister)
Durant Clements (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-28428 -
Data
Type: P-38J
Destination: In the vicinity of Hürtgen, Germany
Mission: Dive-bombing
MACR: 10527
More information
Statement of Lt Col William Cowart, who flew in the same mission: "On 16 November 1944, I was flying mission Y 21-4. After making my bomb run on target A-3, I noticed a P-38 with a triangle on the tail at about 7,000 feet going across in front of me with one engine on fire. I followed him and in about 30 seconds the ship pulled up in a stall and the pilot baled out. His chute opened immediately and because of the wind drifted away from our lines. I did not have a map. Because of the proximity to the target, I was able to pinpoint the landing of the pilot. The pilot landed at K105295 and the ship landed in flames about a mile or two west of him."
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Beth Lindholm (niece), www.wwiimemorial.com, www.abmc.gov
Photo source: Jac Engels, Storiesbehindthestars.org