Clarence, from Antigo, WI, was a top turret gunner on a B-17G assigned to the 850th Bomb Squadron, 490th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force stationed at Eye, Suffolk, England. His aircraft was returning to England after a successful mission over Germany on February 6th, 1945 when his aircraft collided with another B-17 in the formation. Both aircraft crashed in France, which also killed 2 civilians on the ground. 4 of the crew of 10 were able to bail out and survive.