Name: Clyde V Knisley Jr.
First Name(s): Clyde V
Last Name: Knisley Jr.
Place of birth: Tennessee, Choke Cnty, Newport
Rank: Maj Pilot
ASN: O-822234
Company: 510th F Sqdrn
Unit: 405th Fighter Grp 9th USAAF
Reported as: KIA
Date of incident: 19-01-1945
Place of incident: Tandel (Lux)
His story: Aircraft Republic THUNDERBOLT type P-47D-30-RA, “Typhoon McGoon” #44-32747, took off from Saint-Dizier, France on January 19, 1945 for ground support . It’s Pilot Major Clyde V Kinsley Jr was White Leader of the squadron, circling their target on 7.000 feet, waiting for Browning and and Schooner squadrons to finish bombing. The overcast was 10/10ths and visibility was very poor. The ground controller finally gave the squadron word to go down and bomb.
The squadron headed down in loose trail. FLAK was light, intense and very accurate. While in the vicinity of Tandel, on the Luxembourg-German border, Major Knisley’s plane got a burst of FLAK in the fuselage beneath the cockpit. The plane shuddered and and Knisley called in that he was hit badly. The fuselage began burning and the Major began a turn to go back out of the target area. The flame stopped momentarily and then there was a puff and the whole plane from the fuselage back was aflame. The plane went off on its right wing and headed for the ground. At about 50 feet the Major left the plane and the next instant the plane crashed and exploded violently. Unfortunately there was no sign of ‘chute blossom.
On January 21, 1945, Major Knisley was recorded as MIA.
Destination: Diekirch area, Luxembourg
Mission: Ground Support
MACR: 11844
Unit history of 405th Fighter Group
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