Immanuel J. Klette
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Lt Col. Immanuel J. Klette (15 February 1918-12 February 1988) was a bomber pilot and squadron commander in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Colonel Klette flew 91 combat missions in all, the most of any bomber pilot in the U.S. Eighth Air Force. His first 21, beginning in March 1943, were as a co-pilot in the 369th Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group, based at
RAF Thurleigh Royal Air Force Thurleigh or more simply RAF Thurleigh is a former Royal Air Force station located north of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Thurleigh was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force on 9 December 1942 ...
. In July 1943 he was upgraded to "first pilot" and assigned a crew, flying 7 additional missions before being seriously injured in a crash landing on September 23. After a lengthy recuperation and a staff assignment at Headquarters, US Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF), he was selected by a former commander, Col. Henry Terry, now commanding the 91st Bomb Group, to command its 324th Bomb Squadron on July 30, 1944. The 324th BS at that time had assigned to it all the
H2X radar H2X, officially known as the AN/APS-15, was an American ground scanning radar system used for blind bombing during World War II. It was a development of the British H2S radar, the first ground mapping radar to be used in combat. It was also know ...
"Mickey ships" and often led the group, wing, and division on missions where cloud cover was expected to obstruct the target. Klette flew missions for the duration of the war in Europe, including the last bomb mission of the Eighth Air Force on April 25, 1945. Over 30 of his missions were as group, wing, division, or air force mission commander while serving with the 91st Bomb Group. His success many have been partly due to his preparations for his bombing missions. He thoroughly studied the details of bombing missions and had learned how to operate every piece of equipment on a B-17 Flying Fortress.


References

1918 births 1988 deaths United States Army Air Forces officers United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II {{US-army-World-War-II-bio-stub