850th BS

Kline Crew

Shown above at Mountain Home just prior to overseas departure,the Kline crew were shot down over France by a ground flak unit on the night of 4/5 July 1944.   All aboard were killed.  Names have  been matched with faces from John Walker's copy of the squadron history.

The crew's flyover plane was: B24 41-29599 "Boots"

Front Row: L-R,
Dana R. Wemette      - ROM Gunner       (KIA)
Arthur G. Abate      - Armorer Gunner   (KIA) 
George W. Odom       - Aerial Gunner    (Orphaned)
Warren L. Rock       - Aerial Gunner    (KIA)

Back Row: L-R,
Gerald H. Ranson     - Aerial Gunner    (Orphaned)
Jesse H. Snider, Jr. - Bombardier       (KIA)
Richard J. Brace     - Navigator        (KIA)
Clyde H. Schultz     - Co-Pilot         (KIA)
Charles R. Kline     - Pilot            (KIA)
Floyd A. Lauletta    - Engineer Gunner  (KIA)

Odom and Ranson both returned to Eye and served with the 851st BS.

Crew picture courtesy of the Lauletta family via Serge Blandin.

MACR 6991  

The crew's only month of record is June, 1944, shown below.  All targets were in France, south of the Loire river

Pilot	MR#	OK	Fail	Joes	Cntnrs	Pkgs	Nkls	Date	DZ	Aircraft
Kline	571		1	0	0	6	0	2/3	Ditcher 45	42-40618 E
Kline	633	1		0	12	10	6	12/13	Stationer 121	42-95259 K
Kline	716		1	0	0	10	0	21/22	Stationer 136	42-95259 K
Kline	695		1	0	0	12	0	20/21	Stationer 93	42-95036 A

Incident Aircraft: B24H 42-50386

Aircraft Details Credit: Tom Brittan 

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