Immanuel John Klette

Military
media-15850.jpeg UPL 15850 Manny Klette. Photo credit: Charles Hudson.

Object Number - UPL 15850 - Manny Klette. Photo credit: Charles Hudson.

"One of the fliers who made it back from Pilsen [final 8th A.F. combat mission of the War] defined the uncrushable spirit of the air force that helped bring Germany to ruin. Twenty-seven-year-old Lt. Col. Immanuel 'Manny' Klette, son of a Lutheran minister who had emigrated from Germany, had arrived in England in early 1943, when an American bomber crewman's life expectancy was fifteen missions. He flew against the toughest targets - St. Nazaire, Vegesack, and Schweinfurt -- and was wounded by flak on one mission and sustained five fractures in a crash landing in England.



When he regained the use of his legs, he joined the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn and took command of one of its radar-equipped Pathfinder squadrons. Although not required to fly, he led his men on every difficult mission, including the big one to Berlin on 3rd February

1945. 'I asked him to stay on the ground more,' said his commanding officer. But he continued to go. I got my dander up and ordered him only to go when his turn to lead came up. He still went. What the hell are you going to do with a man like that?' Manny Klette's trip to Pilsen on 25th April was his ninety-first bombardment raid of the war, a record for the European Theatre."

-- from "Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany" by Donald L. Miller

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He was assigned to Keith Conley crew. Reported to the ETO on 12-Mar-43. On 23-Sep-43 returning from mission to Nantes, France, crashed in B-17 42-3449 while attempting to land at RAF Wing. All crew returned, but 3 seriously injured. On his 25th mission to Villacoublay, France he lost two engines to flak, came back to the base on two, feathered a third engine in the traffic pattern and landed with one prop still turning and with a flat tire. He flew a record 91 combat missions. He later acquired a doctorate in International Relations from Georgetown University and held many Service posts including that of Chief of NATO policy in Southern Europe in 1954.



Awards: DSC, DFC (3 OLC), AM (14 OLC), Croix de Guerre, PH, ACM, WWII Victory, EAME (8 x Battle Stars).

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-763887
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16080001 / O-769257
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-719033
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
A bomber crew of the 91st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (DF-K, serial number 43-37844) nicknamed "Yankee Gal". 'Back Row - Left to Right T/Sgt. David McCall, Top Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. George Zenz, Waist Gunner; Capt. Lloyd Guzek, Bombardier; Capt. John Wallace, Navigator; T/Sgt. J.P. Holbrook, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Robert Gilbertson, Tail Gunner Front Row - Left to Right Maj. Immanuel Klette, Air Commander and Pilot; Capt. Ray Brown, Pilot; 1st Lt. Ralph Boyd, Assistant Navigator; Capt. Gord
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15332603
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
A bomber crew of the 91st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (DF-K, serial number 43-37844) nicknamed "Yankee Gal". 'Back Row - Left to Right T/Sgt. David McCall, Top Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. George Zenz, Waist Gunner; Capt. Lloyd Guzek, Bombardier; Capt. John Wallace, Navigator; T/Sgt. J.P. Holbrook, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Robert Gilbertson, Tail Gunner Front Row - Left to Right Maj. Immanuel Klette, Air Commander and Pilot; Capt. Ray Brown, Pilot; 1st Lt. Ralph Boyd, Assistant Navigator; Capt. Gord
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33375287
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Connecticut Yankee. Standing L to R: ? (AE), Nagy (B), Lt. Lockyear (CP), Klette (P), Lt Dash (N), ?. Kneeling L to R: ?, Sgt. Holleman (WG), ?, ? (BT).'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Connecticut Yankee
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 306th Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Ground personnel attend the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 306th Bomb Group that has crashed into a wood. Handwritten on reverse: '25/4/25.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ragged But Right
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Klette’s Wild Hares
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron 324th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Pender, NB 15 February 1918 Son of Karl Otto and Bertha Sophia [Von Seggern] Klutte.

Enlisted

New York City, NY 15 January 1941 New York City, New York

Died

Fairfax County, VA 12 February 1988

Buried

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia Sec: 1, Lot: 112-W-A

Based

Thurleigh Assigned to 369BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF.

Based

Bassingbourn Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added Some Punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

 

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

390thBG journal September 1988

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Associated his crew members [ Lost in 42-97362 3-Feb-45 Berlin ] Manny was on leave, Col Marvin Lord took his place.
Updated medal record
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71351735/immanuel-j-klette

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Corrected serial number from 42-3349 to 42-3449.
http://306bgus.apollohosting.com/Search/search%20all.php?Lname=klette&F…

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
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Sources

Roger Freeman Photo.

Date
ContributorJasonR
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Edit for clarity

Date
ContributorJasonR
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From "Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany" by Donald L. Miller

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Kermit B. Cavedo, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 290 pix and details of ac; Combat Crews p. 59, 65 & 66; Russell Strong Index Cards, 306th BGA Collection,

Immanuel John Klette: Gallery (8 items)