Clyde P. Newton
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Clyde P. Newton served in World War II in the South Pacific.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces beginning in 1943. He joined the Air Force Cadet Program and went to the University of Akron. After graduating, he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas, and attended Armament and Gunnery School. In Florence, South Carolina, he was assigned an air crew on an A-20 fighter bomber. He traveled by boat to New Guinea and became part of the 338th Squadron, 312th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force.
Mr. Newton’s unit saw combat in New Guinea, in the Philippines, and on the island of Formosa (now Taiwan). They were sent to Okinawa, and the war in the Pacific ended. Mr. Newton was assigned to Headquarters Squadron 5th Air Force, Tachikawa, Japan. He was discharged in 1946.
Mr. Newton’s rank was Staff Sergeant.
He was born in 1925 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the son of Harry and Ruth Newton. He left high school junior year to join the Army and returned in 1946 to finish and graduate.
Source: Veterans’ Memorial Hall veteran history form; veteran’s accounts (below)
“Joined the Air Force Cadet Program in 1943. Went to the University of Akron. Graduated from the Cadet Program and then went to Randolph Field in Texas. We started in the flight program and the whole HGO were then sent to Gunnery Programs.
“After finishing Armament School and Gunnery School I was sent to Florence, S.C., where we made up our air crews on the A-20 fighter bomber, a low level attack plane. We went overseas on the General A. F. Anderson. We landed in New Guinea at Hollandia, where we were assigned to the 312th Light Bomber Group. We were in action the next day. From New Guinea we went on to the Philippines, which were our major battles, along with Formosa. From there we went to Okinawa, then the war ended.
“Along with about a dozen others, was transferred to Headquarters Squadron 5th Air Force. We went to Japan and were stationed at Tachikawa. Came home from Japan in January 1946.”
----
“I went into the Air Force Cadet program in 1934. Went to the University of Akron. Form there to Randolph Field, to Florida to Florence, SC, where we made up our crews on the A-20 Havoc Fighter Bomber. Then overseas to Hollandia, New Guinea, to Biak, to Tacloban, to Floridablanca in the Philippines. We did infantry support, skip bombing on shipping, low level attacks on airfields on Formosa (received a Presidential Unit Citation for that) was on Okinawa when was ended. Transferred. Transferred Headquarters 5th Air Force, went to Tachikawa, Japan.”
