Clifton Everett Rentfro Jr

Military
media-16089.jpeg UPL 16089 "The crew of Lt Kurt H. Schwarzin during training at Gulfport Field, Mississippi, in September 1944 (left to right): Back row: Arthur J. West (radio operator), Hugh L. Lamborn (tail gunner), Cyrus J. Parr (engineer), Clifton E. Rentfro (ball turret gunner), William A. Richter (waist gunner), and William L. Stone (waist gunner). Front row: Jack H. Oakman (navigator), Robert C. Kinney (bombardier), Kurt H. Schwarzin (pilot), and John E. Pilcher (copilot). All except Richter, who was not on the crew that day, were shot down and captured on November 5, 1944. [Pat Ziglinski]"

Lamborn Family Collection
The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H) by Ivo de Jong

Object Number - UPL 16089 - "The crew of Lt Kurt H. Schwarzin during training at Gulfport Field, Mississippi, in September 1944 (left to right): Back row: Arthur J. West (radio...

Assigned to 836BS, 487BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshafen 5-Nov-44 in B-17G 43-37858; flak, crashed Wittlich, Germany. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 10324.



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 487th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-2061129
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19172944
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14170333 / T-127474
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39556835
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34403159 / O-824562
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
Officers of the 487th Bomb Group outside the 838th Bomb Squadron operations room.
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Rayville, MO 15 October 1925 Son of Clifton Everett Snr and May T [Moss] Rentfro.

Enlisted

San Francisco, CA 23 December 1943

Other

Baled out POW

Wittlich, Germany 5 November 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshafen 5-Nov-44 in B-17G 43-37858; flak, crashed Wittlich, Germany. POW MACR 10324.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Tychowo, Poland 5 November 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft IV.

Died

Vallejo, CA 28 April 1989

Based

Lavenham 5 November 1944 Assigned to 836BS, 487BG, 8AF USAAF.
Vallejo, CA At time of draft registration.

Buried

Skyview Memorial Lawn, Vallejo, CA Skyview Memorial Lawn Vallejo, Solano County, CA

Revisions

Date
Contributorlwilkey01
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / WWW.487thBG.org roster

Clifton Everett Rentfro: Gallery (3 items)