Sgt Glenn C. Keclik
U.S. Army Air Force, 19th Bombardment Group, 30th Bombardment Squadron
Gunner B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24427 Missing In Action (MIA) September 15, 1942

Background
Glenn Clifton Swank was born April 14, 1922 to parents Glen Mosely Swank and Bertha Estelle Minor Keclik Swank in Charleston, Missouri. At a young age, his parents divorced and his mother remarried Emery Carl Keclik and took her three children and gave them her second husband's surname of Keclik (pronounced Kess-lick) and lived at 6901 Cleveland Ave., Kansas City, Missouri. Nicknamed "Cliff" for his middle name Clifton. He attended Southeast High School class of 1939 and was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and excelled as a singer. After graduation, he enlisted in the military.

Wartime History
On June 13, 1939 he enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard in Kansas City, Missouri as "Clifton G. Keclik" was assigned to Headquarters and Service (H&S) Company, 110th Engineers. During October 1940 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) with serial number 6932077. On June 20, 1941 he became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and was stationed at Hill Field. During February 1941 while in training, he parachuted out of a disabled plane and was injured when he hit the ground. While on leave in Salt Lake City at a roller rink he helped a girl who fell down and six week later on March 1, 1941 married Ellen Ruth Pierce of Farmington, Utah. After becoming married, the couple lived in Farmington and conceived a child, Glenda Sue Keclik born January 29, 1942 while he was deployed and never met.

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant, he trained as an aerial gunner and tail gunner. Keclik was sent to Hamilton Field then flown overseas via Hickam Field and across the Pacific to Australia. Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bomb Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS) as an aerial gunner aboard B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.

By August 1942, Sgt Keclik was flying combat missions as an aerial gunner with different pilots and B-17s in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). He was a crew member with at least three pilots: 2nd Lt. William L. Railing, Captain Cecil C. Knudson and Captain Robert L. Williams. He flew missions aboard at least four bombers: B-17E 41-2657, B-17E 41-2659 and B-17E "Spawn of Hell" 41-2662, B-17F 41-24427 (when lost). In total, he completed at least four combat missions and was lost on his fifth mission.

On August 12, 1942 gunner aboard B-17E 41-2659 piloted by 2nd Lt. William L. Railing as one of eight B-17s from the 30th BS, 28th BS, and 93rd BS led by Captain Charles Hillhouse (30th BS) on a midday bombing mission against Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul. Likely, Sgt Keclik was the tail gunner for this mission. Over the target, the bombers were intercepted by A6M2 Zeros.

On August 24, 1942 gunner aboard B-17E "Spawn of Hell" 41-2662 pilot Captain Robert L. Williams took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby at night on a low altitude mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul bombing around midnight and returns in the early morning of August 25, 1942.

On August 30, 1942 gunner aboard B-17E 41-2657 pilot Lt. Cecil Knudson took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby in the early morning hours on a dawn bombing mission against Japanese ships in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul.

On August 31, 1942 gunner aboard B-17E 41-2657 pilot Lt. Cecil Knudson on a mission to bomb and strafe Basamo (Busama) near Mission Point at Salamaua.

Mission History
On September 15, 1942 at 5:30pm gunner aboard B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24427 piloted by Captain Robert L. Williams took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby  as one of nine B-17s on a night bombing mission against Rabaul. After take off, no further contact was made with this bomber. On September 16, 1942 at 1:30am, when this B-17 failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Keclik died at age 20 the day of the mission during the night of September 15, 1942 or possibly in the early morning hours of September 16, 1942. He was officially declared dead on January 7, 1946. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott, KS at section Ma site 36.

Awards
Keclik earned the Silver Star, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, posthumously. During WWII, his Silver Star medal was presented to his daughter, Glenda Sue Keclik by an officer from the 3rd Air Force (3rd AF) in an award ceremony at her home with her mother.


Relatives
Glenn Mosley Swank (father died January 21, 1988)
Bertha Estelle Minor Keclik (mother died May 8, 1963)
George Minor Swank (sister born February 22, 1917 died May 6, 1917)
Crystal Swank Keclik Halter (sister born March 10, 1918 died November 28, 1989)
Ruth Presnell Swank Keclik Fresquez (sister born February 8, 1920 died August 5, 2002)
Ruth Pierce Keclik (widow)
Glenda Sue Keclik (daughter born January 29, 1942)
Alicia Bassett (granddaughter)

References
County of Salt Lake Marriage Certificate - Glenn C. Keclik and Ellen Ruth Pierce April 1, 1941
Birth Certificate Salt Lake County General Hospital Baby Girl Keclik [Glenda Sue Keclik] born January 29, 1942
V-Mail No. 2136 Letter from Glenn C. Keclik to wife Ruth Keclik, undated
V-Mail No. 623 Letter from Glenn C. Keclik to wife Ruth Keclik, undated
V-Mail No. 8558 Letter from Glenn C. Keclik to wife Ruth Keclik, August 5, 1942
The Kansas City Times "Clifton Keclik Is Missing" September 26, 1942 page 3
"Mr. and Mrs. Emery C. Keclik, 6901 Cleveland Avenue, received word last night from the War Department that their son, Glenn Clifton Keclik, has been mission action since September 16 in the Southwest Pacific area. Clifton Keclik, as he was known to his friends, was 21 years old and a bombardier [sic gunner] in a Flying Fortress. He was graduated in June 1939 from Southeast high school and enlisted in the Army Air Corps the following October. He married Miss Ruth Pierce in Salt Lake City. A daughter, Glenda Sue, 8 months old, has never been seen by her father."
The Whitewright Sun (Whitewright, Texas) Vol. 57, No. 40 October 1, 1942 pp 1
"Sgt. Glenn Clifton Keclik, grandson of Dr. and Mrs. G. C. Minor of Denison, has been reported as missing in action in Australia while serving as an Army Air Force bombardier [sic gunner]. Last February [1941], Sergeant Keclik was wounded in a parachute landing after his plane had been disbled. The youth visited in Whitewright some years ago while Dr. Minor was pastor of the Central Christian Church."
Deseret News "2 Utahns, Idahoan, Members of Famous Air Unit, Decorated" January 8, 1943 page 7
"The individual awards were made for participation in bombing of Rabaul in the southwest Pacific... Sgt Glenn C. Keclik, husband of Mrs. Glenn C. Keclik, Farmington, Utah"
Salt Lake Telegram "Six Utah Service Men Achieve Combat Honors at Battle Fronts" March 13, 1943 page 14
"The four who have won Silver Stars are Sergeant Glenn C. Keclik, Farmington..."
The Sunday News and Tribune "Missourians Cited by War Dpt. [Department] for Heroism" by Murlin Spencer (AP) April 25, 1943 pp 7
"Silver Star for gallantry in action.. Sgt Glenn C. Keclik, 6901 Cleveland Ave., Kansas City."
St. Louis Globe-Democrat "Missouri Heroes Help Win Battle of Pacific" by Murlin Spencer (AP) April 25, 1943 pp 36
"Silver start for gallantry in action... Sergt. Glenn C. Keclik, Kansas City"
American Heros of the War in the Air (1943) page 333
"Sgt Glenn C. Keclik, Air Corps, U.S. Army, Farmington, Utah Silver Star"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Glenn C. Keclik
DPAA Personnel File - Glenn C. Keclik
FindAGrave - Glenn Clifton Keclik (memorial marker photo, tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Glenn Clifton Keclik (tablets of the missing photo)
Fortress Against The Sun (2001) page 247 (August 12, 1942)
Thanks to Glenda Sue Keclik, Alicia Bassett and Steve Birdsall for additional information

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