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name
HORNER, Cletis Leroy - Date of
birth
11 December 1923 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Raton, Colfax County, New Mexico -
Hometown
Raton, Colfax County, New Mexico
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
18220787 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 April 1944 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea, off the coast of Nysted, Denmark
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Luxembourg
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 3 | 5 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles E. Horner (father)
Ruby J. (Denny) Horner (mother)
Ida M. Horner (sister)
Cora L. Horner (sister)
Patricia A. Horner (sister)
Illene Horner (sister)
Michael Horner (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-40051 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Amazon's Price
Destination: Poznan, Poland
Mission: Bombing of the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory
MACR: 3652
More information
S/Sgt Cletis L. Horner was employed at the Greyhound Bus Depot before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Santa Fe, New Mexico on 9 December 1942.On the return flight, the bombers were attacked by German fighters and 42-40051 was hit by fire from a Me 410 from II./ZG 26 and crashed into the Baltic Sea off the coast of Nysted on the Island of Lolland. The entire crew was killed.
S/Sgt Horner is remembered at the Fairmont Cemetery in Raton, New Mexico.
A memorial stone for the crew can be found in Nysted, Denmark.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / WWII Draft Cards Young Men / Howard Villanueva Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.findagrave.com – Russ Pickett / Rixir
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – LuxAmCem / Bob Rohwedder / Russ Pickett – Finn Buch