Clyde E. Oliver was born in Missouri in 1915. His mother was Gretchen (Anderson) Oliver (abt 1894 – unk), who was born in Oklahoma; her parents were born in Missouri. His mother was widowed by 1930. In April 1930 Clyde Oliver lived with his mother and a maternal uncle, Fred D. Anderson (abt 1902 – unk), at 1281 E Mendocino Street, Altadena, Pasadena Township, Los Angeles County, California. Fred Anderson was an automobile mechanic.

He completed four years of high school and worked as an insurance salesman. He was married when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on April 10, 1942. His wife was Helen F. Oliver, and his home of record was 2952 Daisy Avenue, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.

He completed Army Air Forces pilot training and was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Richard L. Althouse in 839th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

On April 10, 1945, the Althouse crew flew B-17G 43-37987 'Mean Widdle Kid' on a mission to bomb the German airfield at Briest, Germany, near Brandenburg. This was the base of operational German Me 262 jet fighters. The aircraft received several flak hits after crossing the River Elbe, about one minute short of the target. Then it lost an engine and caught fire, and Lt Althouse ordered the crew to bail out. Lt Oliver was last seen in the bomb bay with a spilled chute. He did not bail out, and was killed when the aircraft exploded in the air and crashed in the vicinity of Genthin, Germany. His body was found in the wreckage. His crewmate Lt Peake was also killed.

He is buried at Ardennes American Cemetery, Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium.

B-17G 43-37987 crew:
• Althouse, Richard L – 1/Lt – Pilot – POW
• Oliver, Clyde E – 1/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Coughran Jr, Douglas D – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Coon, Aaron C – S/Sgt – Togglier – POW
• Fugere, Thomas J – T/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Bressler, William R – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – POW
• Garrison, Norman B – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – POW
• Gustine, Harold R – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – POW
• Hudson, Lincoln – S/Sgt – Passenger – POW
• Peake, Willis E – 2/Lt – Officer Tail Gunner – KIA

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