John C Cleland

Tell Johnny Hello John C Cleland

Carl was trained as a gunner and radio operator on a B-24 stationed in Norfolk England. He Flew 26 missions including the raid on Ploesti Oil Refineries in Romania from a South African base near Benghazi. In his letters to "home folks" he describes the places and people he sees through the eyes of a photographer from both air and land, and shares observations of the people he meets. His Diary describes the daily life of a soldier and the dangers, "excitement," successes and failures of the bombing missions the crew of the ship, "Lemon Drop" are a part of. Through his letters and diary, Carl reveals his thoughts, passions, love of family, love of wife, love of living, and window into his soul. As he writes home, Carl often mentions his youngest nephew by inserting a, "Tell Johnny Hello." Johnny is the author and was only three at the time. John's personal observations and interpretations describe a two-year history of the Cleland Family. It is a WWII Gold Star story as told by a soldier caught up in the drama and sacrifices of war. The author has no memory of his Uncle Carl but came into possession of Carl's footlocker containing 125 letters, scrap books, mementos, a few photos, a box of his medals, including two Air Medals with five Oak Leaf Clusters, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and a leather bound diary. As the letters and diary were transcribed and collated the story emerges and Johnny gets to know his Uncle Carl intimately through Carl's written word. The story includes a wartime love story. Carl and Nellie were married just before he left for England and do not see each other for ten months. He returns home and after a long leave with Nellie and family, Carl is assigned to a training facility for heavy bombers in Casper Wyoming. The tragic end of the story comes in a headline from a local newspaper, War Hero Killed in Wyoming Plane Crash