World War II Honoree

David S. Clifton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Warsaw, North Carolina

Honored By

David S. Clifton, Jr.

Relationship

Son

HE SERVED AS A B-17 PILOT AND FLEW 25 COMBAT MISSIONS BETWEEN MARCH AND AUGUST 1943 WITH THE 303RD BOMB GROUP, HELL'S ANGELS, BASED IN MOLESWORTH, ENGLAND. TWO OF HIS COMBAT MISSIONS WERE ON 11 JUNE 1943 TO WILHELMSHAVEN, WHERE, AFTER BEING KNOCKED OUT OF FORMATION AND ATTACKED BY 15 FW-190 AIRCRAFT, HE LANDED WITH 96 BULLET HOLES AND ON 17 AUGUST 1943 TO SCHWEINFURT BALL BEARING WORKS, WITH NO LONG-RANGE FIGHTER ESCORT RESULTING IN 60 OF THE 315 B-17 AIRCRAFT BEING SHOT DOWN. HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND 4 AIR MEDALS AND WAS A B-17 INSTRUCTOR. WHILE FLYING TO ENGLAND DURING WWII HE PLAYED A GUITAR OVER THE INTERCOM TO KEEP HIS CREWMEMBERS AWAKE. EACH NIGHT BEFORE LIGHTS OUT IN THE QUONSET HUT, HE PLAYED SOME RAGTIME GUITAR TO HELP EVERYONE RELAX.