In Memory of ......... WO Reginald David Cleve.

*** Warrant Officer, First Class Cleve was a member of 176th Aviation Company, 14th Aviation Battalion, 16th Aviation Group, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal). On March 22, 1971, he was the aircraft commander of a Bell Iroquois Utility Helicopter (UH-1H) on an emergency resupply mission flying at 5,000 feet over Savannakhet Province, Laos when the aircraft was hit by ground fire, exploded, crashed and burned. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

You may be gone, no longer living on this earth; but you will live on - in the memories of your family and friends. There will always be a part of you living in those who knew you. You will live on because we remember you!

REGINALD DAVID CLEVE - Army - WO - W1 - Americal Division

Age: 23

Race: Caucasian

Date of Birth Aug 2, 1947

From: FARMINGTON, MO

Religion: METHODIST

Marital Status: Married - Karen M. Cleve of Farmington, Missouri. Parents: Father, Karl/Carl A. (C.A.) Cleve, Born Jan. 4, 1906 and Died Feb. 1, 1993, of Farmington, Missouri at the age of 87 yrs and Mrs. Nell/Eva Marie Cleve, Born Jan. 12, 1904 and Died Oct. 1973 in MO.(Divorced) of Farmington, Missouri. He has NO children.

* Paternal Grandparents: Charles F. (C.F.) Cleve, Born Nov. 5, 1854 and Died Jan. 31, 1945 FAG #101907636 and Emma/Ema T. Cleve, Born July 24, 1869 and Died March 18, 1960 FAG #101907823, both born in Missouri.

* Paternal Great Grandparents: Both born in Germany.

***** Hi, his dad is buried in Copenhagen Cemetery in Farmington MO as are his Cleve grandparents.

Ruth

***** My name is Ashton Kertz, I'm from St. Louis Missouri which is about an hour from Mr. Cleves hometown. I'm also a F/G volunteer for Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary, where most Missouri veterans are buried or memorialized in some manner. I noticed in the description of this memorial page, you (or someone else..?) notes that they're seeking the hometown headstone. Well, here you have it. I actually photographed it today and was trying to find his parents when I found this memorial. The ID is 189292123.

***** A family member of one of the crew states, "one reason for our feeling that he may still be alive is that his craft was hit, and he radioed to the leader of the mission that he would be forced to land. The remainder of the aircraft went on to deliver their cargoes, and as they returned to their base, they reportedly passed over this site. They saw (the downed helicopter) on the ground, but there was NOT any fire, nor did they see any of the men around it."

1998 - Cleve's family received little information regarding his loss over the years.

His wife, after PFOD hearings, eventually remarried and raised a family, her loss buried deep within her.

Cleve's father-in-law, a WWII veteran, knew the terrors that war held for his son-in-law. His admiration for Cleve never waned. At Thanksgiving dinner, 1998 the members of his family were astounded to find out that in the 80's reports of pictures of Cleve's dogtags had been received by the USG, and mentioned in Nigel Cawthorn's book, BAMBOO CAGE. Other post-war reports found in the LOC were just as shocking to them.

The recently discovered information has given them new direction and renewed incentive to find out what truly happened to Reginald David Cleve.

***** (Picture)Thanks for the things you taught me about flying Hueys. Thanks for all the good laughs. Thanks for all the things you did for me while I was off flying status. Thanks for teaching me to be more tolerant and thoughtful of others. Thanks for letting me shoot your grease gun out the window while we were flying down the coast.

Zipp

Fellow Army aviators

Thursday, March 22, 2012

***** United States Census, 1940

Name: Eva Marie Cleve

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1940

Event Place: Knob Lick, Liberty Township, St. Francois, Missouri, US

Gender: Female

Age: 35

Marital Status: Married

Race: White

Relationship to Head of Household: Wife

Birthplace: Missouri

Birth Year (Estimated): 1905

Last Place of Residence: Same House

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

C A Cleve Head M 34 Missouri - YOUR DAD

Eva Marie Cleve Wife F 35 Missouri - YOUR MOM

C F Cleve Father M 85 Missouri - GRANDFATHER

Ema Cleve Mother F 86 Missouri - GRANDMOTHER

***** United States Census, 1920

Name: Carl A Cleve

Event Type: Census

Event Year: 1920

Event Place: Liberty, St Francois, Missouri, United States

Gender: Male

Age: 14

Marital Status: Single

Race: White

Can Read: Yes

Can Write: Yes

Relationship to Head of Household: Son

Birth Year (Estimated): 1906

Birthplace: Missouri

Father's Birthplace: Missouri

Mother's Birthplace: Missouri

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

Charles F Cleve Head M 65 Missouri

Emma J Cleve Wife F 50 Missouri

Annie L Cleve Daughter F 26 Missouri

Mary A Cleve Daughter F 24 Missouri

Henrietta Cleve Daugther F Missouri

Ireade/Irene E Cleve Daughter F 20 Missouri

Carl A/F Cleve, Jr. Son M 14 Missouri

His tour began on Mar 22, 1971

Casualty was on Mar 22, 1971

In LAOS

Hostile, died while missing, HELICOPTER - CREW

AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND

Body was not recovered

Panel 04W - Line 66

Other Personnel In Incident: all missing)

WO1 Reginald David Cleve, pilot;

WO1 John Grove Traver III, copilot;

SP4 Walter Ray Hall, gunner; and

SP4 Donald Paul Knutsen, crew chief.

- About a mile short of the resupply point Cleve's Huey went down. The four men aboard were classed as "Killed in Action, Body not Recovered".

On March 22, 1971, W1 Reginald Cleve, aircraft commander; W1 John G. Traver, pilot; SP4 Donald P. Knutsen, crew chief; and Walter R. Hall, door gunner, comprised the crew of a UH1H helicopter in a flight of five helicopters conducting an emergency resupply mission when the helicopter burst into flames and crashed.

The aircraft was flying at an altitude of about 5000 feet above sea level in Savannakhet Province, Laos, when it was fired upon by a hostile ground force and an explosion occurred in the cargo compartment. The helicopter impacted essentially in one piece and again exploded and continued to burn.

No one was observed to exit the aircraft, and it was the opinion of the investigating committee that no one could have survived.

No rescue attempts were made due to the heavy concentration of enemy troops and the aircraft fire in the area.

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