Klein, Clarence

Born in Dallas, Texas on Sept. 7, 1920. He died peacefully at his 
Carmichael, CA home. He was 89 years old, just 2-1/2 weeks 
before his 90th birthday. He was a senior at the University of 
Texas when he enlisted as an Army aviation cadet on May 9, 
1942. He wanted to be a pilot, but the slots were already filled. 
They needed bombardiers. He graduated from San Angelo 
Bombardment School and served six months during WWII with 
the 747th Bombardment Squadron in the 15th Air Force, 
stationed in Southern Italy at Foggia, near Cerignola. Their B-24 
''Liberator'' bomber was named ''The Lone Polecat.'' During that 
tour, he completed 51 missions but was credited with two more 
because of the extremely dangerous four attacks on the oil 
fields at Ploesti in Romania. They also bombed areas in 
Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Belgium and Northern Italy. 
In addition the group participated in aerial attacks on France 
before the 7th Army landed on the Southern coast. He was 
awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. The 15th Air 
Force suffered 1/3 casualties, 1/3 war prisoners, and 1/3 
returned home. After the war, he returned to the U. of Texas to 
receive his degree in Business Administration. He still wanted to 
become a pilot and was able to graduate on June 27, 1947 in 
the last pilot school at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas. He 
then became a fighter jet pilot at March Field, CA. In his Air 
Force career, he flew 15 different planes, mostly in the Air 
Defense Command. March Field had the first F-80 jet fighter 
planes. During his 22 years in the USAF, two special 
assignments were ''highlights'' in his career. He was at Edwards 
AFB, CA in 1952 as a test pilot on the F86-D Sabre jet test 
project there and at Eglin AFB in Florida. Later, towards the end 
of his career, he volunteered to test an F-106, flying out of 
Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. He wore a space suit because this 
plane was capable of Mach 2 speed (twice the speed of sound) 
to 82,000 feet altitude that without the special suit, should the 
plane cabin pressurization fail, the extremely low pressure 
would cause your blood to boil, resulting in instant death. He 
had previously been on a regular flight or two, where the planes 
pressurization did fail. He loved his Air Force career, as it 
fulfilled his desire of flight. On retirement from USAF, he was a 
civil servant, employed at McClellan AFB, CA for 15 years. In his 
later years he enjoyed his many hobbies: fishing, gold dredging, 
metal detecting and camping with his large family. He and his 
wife, Genie, were world travelers. He was a member of the Air 
Force Association, belonged to the Military Officers' Sacramento 
Chapter. A member of Our Lady of Assumption Church since 
1965, an honorary member of the Arden-Carmichael Knights of 
Columbus, an honorary member of the Sacramento Valley 
Detective Buffs. Chuck is survived by his wife of 59 years, Genie. 
He was a wonderful and supportive husband; a father of six, 
Patrick Klein, Susan Schill, Sandra Taylor, William Higgins (wife, 
Tina), Charles Klein (wife, Debryn) and Stephen Klein (wife, 
Shawn); a grandfather of 13, great-grandfather of 4, an uncle 
and a friend. Our pastor, the Rev. Brendan McKeefry, fulfilled 
Chuck's wishes with a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, 
August 28, 2010 at 10:00am at Our Lady of Assumption Church 
for only our family and burial services at Calvary Cemetery, with 
full military honors. Chuck was loved and admired by many. He 
was blessed! He had a wonderful life! 

Published in The Sacramento Bee on September 12, 2010