ORMSBY, Cletus T. (1945)

ORMSBY

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 6/20/2010 at 14:12:23

OSAGE FIGHTER
DOWNS 3 PLANES

Cletus Ormsby Given
Promotion for Valor

A Ninth Air Force Nightfighter Base, France — Cletus T. Ormsby, Osage, Iowa, nightfighter pilot who shot down three Nazi bombers over the Bastogne, Belgium pocket was promoted recently to first lieutenant. The announcement came from ninth air force headquarters in France.

On nocturnal interception prowls over the Ardennes break-through sector—when the German push toward Liege was at its peak — Lt. Ormsby destroyed a Dornier 217, a Junkers 88, and a Messerschmidt 110. In addition to these he claimed another Junkers 88 as damaged. These aircraft, all twin-engine bombers, were heading for the isolated Bastogne pocket to pound embattled Americans of an airborne division when intercepted by the young Iowan. He scored his first kill at 1 o'clock a.m., Christmas day, and his last at 10 minutes before midnight, New Year's eve.

Lt. Ormsby, a graduate of Iowa State college, is a member of the 19th tactical air command P-61 Black Widow nightfighter squadron commanded by Maj. Leon G. Lewis, Norfolk, Va. He has completed over 40 controlled interception and strafing sorties under cover of darkness in co-ordinated air activity with American third army troops. Taking wing when darkness descends and dayfighters rest, he has helped his squadron carry the attack to the enemy unceasingly.

Flying from sundown to sunrise, they have destroyed countless locomotives and motor convoys. They have razed and fired factories, ammunition depots, troop concentrations and communications centers on sweeps into the reich.

Lt. Ormsby is the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Ormsby, Osage. He holds the air medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters.

[Mason City Globe Gazette, Feb. 16, 1945, pg 3]

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