Lt. Dale W. Click

by Janis Porter nee Click
(Ceres, CA, USA)

My Dad, Dale Click, was a pilot with the 515th Squadron and flew B-24 Liberator.
He flew with the 376th, 515th squadron, during 42 - 44, his last mission being September 12, 1944 leading group of bombers to Munich. His plane went down in Adreatic due to tail section breaking off. See Bob McLean's account of this volunteer mission under lost B-24's.

Munich, Germany, Sept. 12, 1944

41-28762 Tailwind Click, D. W.

Dale Clicks original crew consisted of:

Officers:
Click, Dale W.
Klinger, Edgar A.
Leichhardt, Mitchell (NMI)
Nelson, Warren J.

Enlisted:
Hartup, Raymond L.
Nichols, J.D. (IO)
Cox, Jesse W.
Houser, George D.
Reeves, Ray S.
Diaz, Robert M.

See completed list under crew.

Dale Click had earned 3 or 4 distinguished flying crosses, and he earned a purple heart for the September 12, 1944 mission. I know he volunteered to return to duty, but was assigned stateside. My dad spoke little of his time in WWII. My mom remarked he sent letters to the mothers and wives of crew who did not make it home.

Dale married in late forties having 3 children. Two became federal employees following Dale's example working for FAA. His youngest son worked for FAA during 9/11 and his daughter worked for Intelligence and FBI. One of Dale's grandchildren currently works for the FBI.