Cliff Momberg

MOMBERG, DODGE

Posted By: Michael (email)
Date: 10/16/2008 at 16:57:02

Cliff Momberg, 86, Lt. Colonel, USAF, Retired, of Coralville, died Tuesday evening, Oct. 7, 2008 at VAMC in Iowa City.

Cliff was born Aug. 7, 1922 in Hamilton, Illinois, the son of Walter and Mildred Dodge Momberg. He married Betty Sandidge of Keokuk, Iowa on June 28, 1948 in Fort Madison, Iowa. They were later divorced. He married Jacqueline Graves July 19, 1966 in Wiesbaden, Germany.

He graduated from Hamilton, Illinois High School where he was one of the stars on a football team that was undefeated three years in a row and unscored upon his senior season.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, attended flight school at University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and graduated from Officer Candidate School. He was a B-17 pilot during World War II, flying 23 missions over Nazi Germany in the 840th Squadron, 483rd Bombardment Group (a highly decorated unit). He never lost a crew member and was awarded the Air Medal with two Oakleaf Clusters.

After WWII, he was a pilot in the Atomic Bombtesting Program in the Pacific, flying through mushroom clouds to gather data. His co-pilot at the time died of radiation poisoning.

In the Korean War, he flew cargo planes and during peacetime, he was a pilot in the Second Weather Wing.

Cliff was a lifetime member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was past president of the Polson, Montana VFW. As a career Air Force Officer, he was stationed all over the world but upon retirement, he divided his time between homes in Wiesbaden, Germany and Polson, Montana.

He moved to Coralville in 2004 to be closer to his family. His passions in life were flying and spending time with his grandsons.

Survivors include his son, Joseph (Gail) Momberg and his grandsons James Clifton Momberg and John Clark Momberg, all of Iowa City; his niece Debby McCoy and her family of Denver, Colorado and a special friend Vera Craddock of Surfside Beach, South Carolina.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert Momberg, his nephew Doug Momberg, his wife Jacqueline and numerous aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Iowa City Animal Center Foundation.