Fred W. Clem, Jr. was born in 1923 in Illinois. He resided in San Francisco County, California prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on January 15, 1943 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Firemen and also as Single, with dependents. Fred served as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator / Gunner on B-25H #43-4209, 491st Bomber Squadron, 341st Bomber Group, Medium, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-25H #43-4209 took off, with a crew of 5, from Yangkai, China on a strike mission over Samah Bay, Thailand. Over Samah Bay they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and reportedly crashed into the bay. The entire crew was lost. He was declared "Missing in Action" on April 8, 1944 and is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Fred was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov