Leslie Paul Cles

Military
media-31531.jpeg UPL 31531 Roll-call of 353 FG Aces.

Object Number - UPL 31531 - Roll-call of 353 FG Aces.

Assigned to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 7 x kills. End Tour of Duty (ETD). Re-assigned to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) withdrawal support mission Merseburg hit by flak strafing airfield force landed near Hohenkoerben on 8-Nov-44 in P-51D 'Pregnant Patty' 44-14831 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 10482.



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Remained in USAF until death in a fatal crash Chandler AAF, AZ 29-Oct-45.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: The Flying Finn/Ginny
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group Base Air Depot 1 335th Fighter Squadron 352nd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Powell, WY 82435, USA 2 August 1920 Son of James Garfield and Millicent Eleanor [Sherwin] Cles.

Enlisted

Bozeman, MT, USA 16 September 1940

Other

Crashed

Tulare, CA 93274, USA 5 March 1942 Landing Accident Ground Loop Tulare, CA Cat 3 damage 2Lt Leslie P Cles, 5-Mar-42. PT-17 41-1021 - ACTD

Other

Crashed

James River Bridge, Newport News, VA 23607, USA 14 December 1942 Baled Out Stall / Spin 1 mile from Newport Mews Bridge, VA Cat 5 damage 2Lt Leslie P Cles, 14-Dec-42. P-40F 41-14056 - 352FS 353FG

Other

Crashed

Hampton, VA 23665, USA 22 January 1943 Landing Accident Langley Field, VA Cat 3 damage 2Lt Leslie P Cles, 22-Jan-43. P-47C 41-6476 - 352FS 350FG

Other

Crashed

Millville Executive Airport, 104 Leddon St, Millville, NJ 08332, USA 23 April 1943 Baled Out Mid Air Collision 10 Mile SE AAB, Millville, NJ Cat 5 damage 2Lt Leslie P Cles, 23-Apr-43. P-47C 41-6461 - 352FS 353FG

Other

Crashed

Thorney Island, Emsworth PO10, UK 15 September 1943 Taxiing Accident Thorney Island Cat 3 damage Lt Leslie P Cles, 15-Sep-43. P-47D 42-8414 - 352FS 353FG 8AF

Other

Promotion

Raydon, Ipswich IP7 5LL, UK 8 June 1944 Promoted to Captain.

Other

End Tour of Duty (ETD)

England, UK 5 August 1944 Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).

Other

Force landed

Hohenkörben, 48527 Nordhorn, Germany 8 November 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) withdrawal support mission Merseburg hit by flak strafing airfield force landed near Hohenkoerben on 8-Nov-44 in P-51D 44-14831 POW MACR 10482.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 8 November 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Died

7224 N 139th Dr, Luke AFB, AZ 85309, USA 29 October 1945 Fatal crash 17 miles W Chandler, AZ Cat 4 damage Capt Leslie Cles, 29-Oct-45. AT-6D - 44-81619 3028BU

Other

Promotion

Raydon, Ipswich IP7 5LL, UK Promoted to 1st Lieutenant.

Based

Raydon 8 November 1944 Assigned to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

676 Ln 9, Powell, WY 82435, USA Crown Hill Cemetery Powell Park County, WY

Leslie Paul Cles: Gallery (1 items)