Theodore Alfred Kline was born on January 2, 1919, in Central City, Linn County, Iowa. He was the son of Lawrence Lee Kline and Mary Elizabeth Long Kline. He was the husband of Cathryn A. Hildebrand Harms. He served in the 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-17 #43-39184 during World War II.

On April 13, 1945, during a bombing mission targeting Neumünster, Germany, the aircraft was severely damaged by enemy flak. As the crew attempted to return to base, the damage proved too great, forcing them to bail out over Bad Oldesloe, near Garbek, Germany. Six crew members were captured and became prisoners of war, while two lost their lives when the plane exploded and crashed.

2Lt Kline was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium. Theodore A. Kline's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 2 (center), on Butterfly 20, in the top right wing (section B).

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com, www.398th.org