On this Day, 17-MAR 1945, We Honor A Fallen Hero
Clifton Walter Nippert was born 8-11-1922. He lived at 812 North Sixth Street in St. Charles MO. Clifton registered for the draft on 30-JUN 1942. His father was Arthur Henry Nippert and his mother was Mrs. Adele Paul Nippert. He had one sibling, a brother who died two days after he was born. Clifton attended St. Charles High School (see yearbook picture). Albert’s draft registration card says he was unemployed. Clifton was a flight officer and co-pilot in the Army Air Corp in the 490th Bomber Group, 848 Bombing Squadron.
The 848th left their training base at Salt Lake City Air Base and moved to Mountain Home Army Air Field in Idaho where it began training on B-24 Liberators. The 848th left for Europe on 9-APR 1944. The squadron arrived at their base, RAF Eye on 28-APR 1944. The squadron’s initial missions were flown in preparation for Operation Overlord (D-Day) beginning 31-MAY 1944. In June 1944, the bomber group utilizing B-24 aircraft began bombing airfields and coastal defenses in France during the invasion of Normandy.
After 6-JUN 1944 on D-Day, the squadron supported the landings concentrating on targets in France. The squadron was briefly withdrawn from combat on 6-AUG 1944 to convert to the Boeing B-17’s. After the Group’s conversion to B-17s, the crews switched focus and flew longer distance missions over Germany to bomb industrial sites.
On 17-MAR 1945 there was a mid-air collision of two B-17Gs. Both aircraft were from the 490th Bomber Group, 8th Air Force. The Warrenton Banner reported Clifton Walter Nippert was missing in action on 12-APR 1945. It was later confirmed he was killed in action in the collision. Clifton Walter Nippert died 17-MAR 1945.
Clifton died in the Netherlands. Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands. Clifton W. Nippert is buried at Plot E Row 14 Grave 18, Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location. He was awarded a Purple Heart.
Clifton Walter Nippert is honored and remembered at the St. Charles County Veterans Museum.
If anyone has additional information about our veteran including pictures, please contact us.