Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Killed in Service to His Country: Clarence H. Ballagh, WWII


CLARENCE H BALLAGH
CALIFORNIA
1 LIEUT 813 AAF BOMB SQ
WORLD WAR II
MAY 16 1921          SEPT 14 1945

On September 14, 1943, after being reassigned to the 813th Bombardment Squadron of the 482nd Bombardment Group USAAF, B17E 41-9051 crashed nose-first into Skiddaw Mountain, near Keswick, in Northern UK, while on a flight from Alconbury in Huntingdonshire to Turnhouse, Edinburgh.

All 10 men on board were killed instantly.

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Clarence Henry Ballagh, son of Leland E. Ballagh and Bernice (Keeler) Ballagh, was born in Santa Maria on May 16, 1921. He graduated from Arroyo Grande Union High School in 1938, and from the University of California, Berkeley in May 1942. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Force, and left for service on May 23, 1942.

Following his death, 1st Lieut Ballagh was buried in the Brookwood American National Cemetery until his body could be returned home for burial. He was finally laid to rest in his home town of Arroyo Grande on January 15, 1948. He was survived by his wife Frances and baby daughter Enid.

1st Lieut Ballagh's name is listed on the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial in Atascadero.

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Headstone of Clarence H. Ballagh photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, October 11, 2008, Arroyo Grande Cemetery, Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo County, California.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal