2nd photo was taken after Melvin William Kline received this Soldier's Medal for following:
"Melvin V. Kline awarded Medal (handwritten in W. for middle initial)
U S AIR BASE, SOUTHERN JAPAN, Jan 11-- (AP)
As a big Superfort lifted off the runway of this air base a live 500-pound bomb shook loose and toppled down on the runway. The bomb rolled to a stop. It did not explode.
But Far East Air Forces personnel knew the bomb's delayed action fuse might have been damaged and the bomb explode at any second.
Major Edison F. Arnold, Spokane, Washington, the control tower officer, rushed out on the runway. With Warrant Officer (j.g) Melvin V. Kline, 105 Riverside Drive, Montgomery, Alabama, and T.Sgt. Arthur T. Lapp, Jackson Heights, New York, he began rolling he bomb away. They sweated as they rolled the heavy bomb toward a plot of grass off the runway, where it was out of position to do harm. Six hours later the bomb did explode. It tore a large hole in the ground.
This is why Major Emmett O'Donnell, chief of FEAF's Bomber Command, awarded each of the three men the soldier's medal.
(Information submitted by Sheila Parsons Jenkins, F.A.G contributor on March 1, 2017)
"Melvin V. Kline awarded Medal (handwritten in W. for middle initial)
U S AIR BASE, SOUTHERN JAPAN, Jan 11-- (AP)
As a big Superfort lifted off the runway of this air base a live 500-pound bomb shook loose and toppled down on the runway. The bomb rolled to a stop. It did not explode.
But Far East Air Forces personnel knew the bomb's delayed action fuse might have been damaged and the bomb explode at any second.
Major Edison F. Arnold, Spokane, Washington, the control tower officer, rushed out on the runway. With Warrant Officer (j.g) Melvin V. Kline, 105 Riverside Drive, Montgomery, Alabama, and T.Sgt. Arthur T. Lapp, Jackson Heights, New York, he began rolling he bomb away. They sweated as they rolled the heavy bomb toward a plot of grass off the runway, where it was out of position to do harm. Six hours later the bomb did explode. It tore a large hole in the ground.
This is why Major Emmett O'Donnell, chief of FEAF's Bomber Command, awarded each of the three men the soldier's medal.
(Information submitted by Sheila Parsons Jenkins, F.A.G contributor on March 1, 2017)
2nd photo was taken after Melvin William Kline received this Soldier's Medal for following:
"Melvin V. Kline awarded Medal (handwritten in W. for middle initial)
U S AIR BASE, SOUTHERN JAPAN, Jan 11-- (AP)
As a big Superfort lifted off the runway of this air base a live 500-pound bomb shook loose and toppled down on the runway. The bomb rolled to a stop. It did not explode.
But Far East Air Forces personnel knew the bomb's delayed action fuse might have been damaged and the bomb explode at any second.
Major Edison F. Arnold, Spokane, Washington, the control tower officer, rushed out on the runway. With Warrant Officer (j.g) Melvin V. Kline, 105 Riverside Drive, Montgomery, Alabama, and T.Sgt. Arthur T. Lapp, Jackson Heights, New York, he began rolling he bomb away. They sweated as they rolled the heavy bomb toward a plot of grass off the runway, where it was out of position to do harm. Six hours later the bomb did explode. It tore a large hole in the ground.
This is why Major Emmett O'Donnell, chief of FEAF's Bomber Command, awarded each of the three men the soldier's medal.
(Information submitted by Sheila Parsons Jenkins, F.A.G contributor on March 1, 2017)
"Melvin V. Kline awarded Medal (handwritten in W. for middle initial)
U S AIR BASE, SOUTHERN JAPAN, Jan 11-- (AP)
As a big Superfort lifted off the runway of this air base a live 500-pound bomb shook loose and toppled down on the runway. The bomb rolled to a stop. It did not explode.
But Far East Air Forces personnel knew the bomb's delayed action fuse might have been damaged and the bomb explode at any second.
Major Edison F. Arnold, Spokane, Washington, the control tower officer, rushed out on the runway. With Warrant Officer (j.g) Melvin V. Kline, 105 Riverside Drive, Montgomery, Alabama, and T.Sgt. Arthur T. Lapp, Jackson Heights, New York, he began rolling he bomb away. They sweated as they rolled the heavy bomb toward a plot of grass off the runway, where it was out of position to do harm. Six hours later the bomb did explode. It tore a large hole in the ground.
This is why Major Emmett O'Donnell, chief of FEAF's Bomber Command, awarded each of the three men the soldier's medal.
(Information submitted by Sheila Parsons Jenkins, F.A.G contributor on March 1, 2017)
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