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name
STANTON, Clifford Alfred Jr - Date of
birth
31 December 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Utica, Oneida County, New York -
Hometown
Oneida County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-703819 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
323rd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
1 May 1944 - Place of
death
Raversijde Airfield, 5 km southwest of Oostende, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| M | 13 | 10 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Clifford A. Stanton (father)
Margaret H. (Whittaker) Stanton (mother)
Helen M. (Clark) Stanton (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-102392 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Troyes, France
Mission: Bombing Mission
MACR: 4465
More information
2nd Lt Clifford A. Stanton graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1937 and attended Cornell University for three years. He was employed in the editorial department of The Observer Dispatch.He volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps on 5 January 1943 at San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, Texas and was sent overseas in March 1944.
The aircraft received a direct hit by flak in the cockpit. Fire was seen in the cockpit and the nose. Flames were seen coming out of the top-turret, the cockpit and nose windows. The aircraft headed straight down into the clouds. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft. Sgt Harold E. McMurray and Sgt Rex Silver were the only who bailed out and were taken POW. Right after he bailed out the ship blew up. The other eight crewmembers were killed in action.
The crew was initially buried at the British cemetery Coxyde. Lt Stanton was buried in grave 156.
Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Terrry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, Fold3.com, 91stbombgroup.com, www.ancestry.com 1940 Census, WWII Draft Card, Utica Daily Press - 25 December 1943
Photo source: 91stbombgroup.com,Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-J, Coleman Flying School, Texas