Memorial

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Lt Cletus R. Brown graduated from Jefferson High School in 1934. He was employed at the Hercules Powder Co.

The mission of the day was to bomb the oil refinery of Ruhland with 222 bombers. Only 24 of them attacked this primary target. 166, including n° 44-6584, bombed the secundary target, the marshalling yard at Chemnitz.

While over Brussels, when returning to their base in England, flying at 25,000', aircraft n° 43-38675 hit prop wash and dropped down, striking aircraft n° 44-6584.

It was struck at the radio room, broke into three pieces, and both aircraft spiraled down out. One parachute came from Lt. Schmidt's aircraft: its sole survivor was S/Sgt. Edward W. Bartley, Jr., the tail gunner. The other eight crew members were killed.

From the other plane, only Sgt. Marshall P. Dellinger, ball turret gunner, was killed when his parachute failed to open. All other members of the crew survived.

Lt Brown was initially buried at Ardennes in a temporary grave on 4 March 1945. After being disinterred and after the cemetery was given a permenant status, hs was given his final resting place on 5 March 1949.