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Because He  Did Not Live

8/17/2015

6 Comments

 
Because a man did not live I am writing this today. Because this man had a friend who told his granddaughter a story I am writing this today. Because this man's friend's granddaughter was raised to respect and honour those who went before her and had, over the years, developed a keen interest in the history of her grandfather's generation, I am writing this today.

My grandpa told me a story. A story about an old high school friend of his who did not live to see victory over the Axis during WWII. The story went something along these lines:
Shorty was the ball turret gunner on a B-25 that went down in the English Channel due to engine failure. The rest of the crew managed to escape the plane. Shorty was unable to get out of the ball turret because the hydraulics which allowed the turret to rotate were damaged and dysfunctional. He went down with the plane. 
Shorty's real name was Walter M. Clevenger. Rank Technical Sergeant. But there is more.

Grandpa's story is not the real story. It isn't overly surprising really, because at the time Shorty died, Grandpa was quite likely in basic himself and as things get passed along a grapevine, the story often morphs. 

Last night, I found the truth. Accidentally. I cannot remember the course of events that led me to revisit Shorty, but in doing so, I stumbled upon the truth.

Shorty was in the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, stationed in England. He was one of ten crewmen on a B-17F, the "Yahoodi"--AAF serial #41-24608. He wasn't the ball turret gunner--that was a fellow by the name of S/Sgt. Leif H. Hoklin who did survive. Rather, Shorty was the radio operator. 

Two days before, on January 1, 1943, Shorty had turned 21. On January 3rd, while on a bombing run (the target of which was St. Nazaire, France), whether to or from I do not know, the Yahoodi took enemy fire and was hit. Using the coordinates found in the records, I discovered that they went down in the sea south of Brittany. The records aren't overly profuse or informative, but enough to paint a picture of an ack-ack attack, engines knocked out, and a crew of ten headed straight into the ocean, the wind whistling through the fuselage. I wonder how many of them were already dead. Or how terrified they were. 

I know the picture isn't very big...or very clear, but thanks to someone else's research I know the identity of a couple of the men. Shorty I guessed correctly before I found proof. He's second from left in the front. The rest of the crew are as follows: 1st Lt. Frank A. Saunders (Pilot; POW), 2nd Lt. Leonard W. Kirk (Co-Pilot; KIA; second from left, back row); 2nd Lt. Oscar F. Forester (Navigator; POW); 2nd Lt. Norman Kossis (Bombardier; KIA; far right, back row); S/Sgt. Llyod E. Wagner (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner; KIA; third from right, front row); Sgt. Rufus C. Litton (Left Waist Gunner; KIA); S/Sgt. Russell O. Chitwood (Right Waist Gunner; KIA); S/Sgt. Leif H. Hoklin (Ball Turret Gunner; POW), and Sgt. Howard A. High (Tail Gunner; KIA).
Shorty, age 21, died during that bombing run on January 3rd, 1943. He wasn't married. I don't even know if he had a girlfriend. He died and I never knew him--but he is not forgotten. He may have never had any children...but I'll stand in for those unborn children and grandchildren and claim him as one of my own. This is for Shorty.

Because T/Sgt. Walter M. Clevenger did not live I write this. I will someday tell my own children about him so that he will not be forgotten.

In Memoriam, 

     Racheal

6 Comments
Janie
8/17/2015 11:41:58 am

Mid-Kid you are one special kid. Thank-you for telling Shorty's story.

Reply
Fabrice GUILLET
2/26/2016 08:09:41 am

I introduce myself, my name is Fabrice guillet, and I live near the place where the "Yahoudi" was down by FLAK. June 11, 2016, a monument will be unveiled in memory of the aircraft and their crew in the commune of BATZ SUR MER, near SAINT NAZAIRE. I will send you pictures lorque this will be done.
Thank you for your article, it allows us to learn more about these heroes.
and also thank you to google translate.

Reply
Racheal
2/26/2016 01:48:45 pm

Fabrice,

Your comment has simply made my day! I am grateful that the memory of these special men is being preserved. I would love to see pictures of the monument!

Thank-you so much for writing!
~~Racheal

Reply
Dave Saunders
3/26/2017 09:29:24 pm

My uncle, Frank Saunders, was the pilot of the Yahoodi. Frank was so very proud of his crew and on one of the rare occasions when he spoke of the war, telling me about that fateful day and his brave crew brought tears to his eyes. Possibly by coincidence, I was born the son of Frank's brother Dave exactly 20 years after on the very day the Yahoodi was shot down.

Reply
Racheal
4/3/2017 06:18:26 pm

Mr. Saunders,
When I checked my comment notifications and I saw your comment I literally choked up. THANK-YOU for commenting!
I can relate to watching one of these precious gentlemen tearing up--my grandpa never actually saw combat--but he lost friends and relatives and felt it keenly. He always felt guilty that he didn't actually get to fight. (He planned on joining the Air Corp with Shorty, but his parents wouldn't sign his papers and then he was later drafted into the Army.)
Since writing this post I have learned a little more, but still not as much as I would like to. I am actually working on a short memorial video for Shorty and in doing so I have ended up memorizing the names of the entire crew and their positions. I have relied heavily on the 303rd website (http://www.303rdbg.com/) for further education. It has been soberly exciting to get a little glimpse into the lives of these men.
Thank-you so much for taking the time to comment! It has been the highlight of my day!
~~Racheal

Reply
Lauren Hoklin
11/16/2017 07:08:59 pm

My grandfather was Leif Hoklin. He unfortunately passed away before I️ was born. It sends shivers down my spine reading these stories because I️ was so close to not existing. He could have easily been one that did not survive but after one of the longest periods of captivity recorded, he came home and met my grandmother. Thank you for sharing.

Reply



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