Clarence Raymond Barger

Clarence Barger graduated from Grant City High School. | | He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States on 8 October 1943. | | Statement from 1st Lt Robert L. Harness, pilot of another airplane in the same group: | “I was flying Falcon Blue #3 in Lt Barger's flight. Lt Wright was flying on my wing. We were being attacked by ME 109s. I told this over the R/T to break and so did Lt Wright. I did not hear any reply to my transmission. Lt Wright and I broke into the E/A. I did not see or hear Lt Barger or Lt Christensen after the break.” | | According to German records, three P-51s were shot down in the same area, killing Lt Walter M. Christensen, Capt Woodrow W. Anderson and Lt Barger. | | Also, according to those records, one of the remains were buried at the Zerbst Russian Cemetery on 5 June 1944 and one body was buried at the Meritz Civilian Cemetery. There was no record of interment for the third pilot. | | One aircraft was reported to have crashed and burned completely, with the exception of one wing. The remains of the pilot were assumed to have also burned, as only one forefinger and bits of human remains were found at the crash site. It is believed that this was the airplane of Lt Barger. | | After the war, field investigations on 24 February and 22 June 1948 failed to locate his remains or the plane crash site. Only the remains of Lt Christensen were recovered from the Meritz Civilian Cemetery.