| Gale W. Cleven | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname | Buck |
| Born | December 27, 1918 |
| Died | November 17, 2006 (aged 87) |
| Place of birth | Lemmon, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Place of death | Sheridan, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | |
| Years of service | 1940–1963 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Service number | O-399782 |
| Unit | 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Spouse(s) |
|
Gale Winston "Buck" Cleven (December 27, 1918 – November 17, 2006) was an American pilot who served with the 100th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.[1][2]
Military service[]
World War II[]
On February 20, 1940 Cleven enlisted in the Army. His service with the 100th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force began on October 27, 1942.[3]
He was a part of the Regensburg shuttle mission, piloting one of the few B-17s to reach North Africa. On October 8, 1943, while on his 22nd mission, he was shot down over Germany.[3]
Personal life[]
Cleven married his childhood sweetheart Marjorie in July 1945. She passed away in August 1953 after a sudden illness with polio in Coffeyville, KS while visiting her parents. In 1955, he married Esther Lee Athey. to whom he remained married until his death in 2006.[4]
During flying school, Cleven was given the nickname Buck by fellow airman and best friend John "Bucky" Egan, as the latter thought that he looked like his friend from Wisconsin named Buck.[5]
After the war, Cleven earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Ph.D in interplanetary physics.[1]
In popular culture[]
Cleven is portrayed by Austin Butler in Apple TV+'s Masters of the Air.[4]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Miller, Donald L. (2007). Masters of the air: America's bomber boys who fought the air war against Nazi Germany (1. Simon & Schuster trade paperback ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9780743235457.
- ↑ "Major Gale Cleven, Odessan, comes through tough raid". The Odessa American. October 26, 1943. pp. 1, 3. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-major-gale-cleven-o/139736417/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Personnel" (in en-US). https://100thbg.com/personnel/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The real Gale Cleven: who was Buck in Masters of the Air?". History Extra. Immediate Media Company. January 26, 2024. https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/real-gale-cleven-buck-masters-of-the-air/.
- ↑ "The Real History Behind ‘Masters of the Air’ and the 100th Bomb Group". Smithsonian Magazine. 23 January 2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-real-history-behind-masters-of-the-air-and-the-100th-bomb-group-180983629/.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Gale Cleven and the edit history here.