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Gatlin Claude Edgar, Jr.

Name:
Claude Edgar, Jr. Gatlin
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-831938
Unit:
836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
1944-12-31
State:
South Carolina
Cemetery:
Cambridge American Cemetery, United Kingdom
Plot:
Tablets of the Missing
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Air Medal, Purple Heart
Comments:

Claude Edgar Gatlin, Jr. was born at Great Falls, South Carolina on February 15, 1924. His parents were Claude Edgar Gatlin (7 Sep 1896 – 11 Dec 1967), who was born at Woodstock, Cherokee County, Georgia; and Nora Lee (Vroman) Gatlin (24 Apr 1896 – 28 Oct 1965), who was born in South Carolina. He had two older sisters, Margaret Carroll (Gatlin) Yongue (26 Jul 1920 – 22 May 1992) and Betty Jeanne (Gatlin) Davies (abt 1923 – unk). In 1940 the family lived on Calhoun Street in Great Falls, South Carolina. Great Falls was the home of Republic Textile Mills Company. His father worked as a railroad depot agent.

He entered Wofford College at Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1941. As a freshman at Wofford, in addition to his studies, he sang in the Glee Club and participated in public speaking. As a sophomore he was class historian, a member of the International Relations club, and played intramural football.

He registered for the draft at Great Falls, South Carolina on June 25, 1942. He was 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had hazel eyes and brown hair. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Miami Beach, Florida, on February 22, 1943. He completed his sophomore year at Wofford College in 1943 and was called to active duty.

He completed Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 44-E at Blytheville, Arkansas, and received his wings and commission on May 23, 1944. He went on to a period of heavy bomber transition training, and then operational training with his crew before deploying to England. He was assigned as a first pilot in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group (Heavy) at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Gatlin crew arrived at Station 137 by November 28, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

Lt Gatlin and his eight crewmates went missing in action on December 31, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 42-97398, went missing during a mission to Hamburg, Germany. This was their third operational mission. After takeoff, the aircraft was never seen in formation, and the aircraft and crew were never found. They probably went down in the North Sea.

Lt Gatlin and his crewmates are memorialized on the Wall of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery near Madingley, England.

B-17G 42-97398 crew:
• Gatlin Jr, Claude E – 2/Lt – Pilot – MIA
• Uber, Frank J – 2/Lt – Copilot – MIA
• Smathers, Harold E – F/O – Navigator – MIA
• Bybee, Melvin G – Sgt – Togglier – MIA
• King, Robert H – Sgt – Engineer – MIA
• Mitchell, Bruce R – Sgt – Radio Operator – MIA
• Wright, George T – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – MIA
• Zaiger, Roy J – Sgt – Waist Gunner – MIA
• Kane, Stephen P – Sgt – Tail Gunner – MIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com