TO CORPORAL
Clifford John Bogue, son of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street, has recently been promoted to corporal. He is a member of a B-24 combat crew now in training at Charleston, S. C. Cpl. Bouge attended Abraham Lincoln high school prior to entering the service and was employed by the Scientific Radio Products company
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, June 15, 1944, Page 7
OVERSEAS
Pvt. Clifford J. Bogue, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street, has arrived overseas and has begun to fly combat missions in the Mediterranean theater of operations, it was announced Saturday. Pvt. Bogue is a tail-gunner on a B-24.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Sunday, August 27, 1944, Page 8
LOCAL YOUTH IS GIVEN AIR MEDAL
Pvt. Clifford J. Bogue, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street, tail gunner on a B-24 Liberators, has been awarded the air medal “for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy.” The announcement was made by Col. Robert E. L. Eaton, group commander, of 119 South Charles street, Belleville, Ill. Bouge is a member of a veteran Liberator group that has flown more than 110 combat missions.
He is a graduate of Abraham Lincoln high school, entering the army on March16, 1943. Pvt. Bogue received his radio training at Scott field, Ill., and his gunner’s wings at Tyndall field, Fla.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, September 21, 1944, Page 7
PROMOTED
Clifford J. Bogue, 22, 719 North Thirty-eighth street, tail gunner on a B-24 Liberators, has been promoted to sergeant. The announcement was made by Col. Robert E. L. Eaton, group commander, Belleville, Ill. A graduate of Abraham Lincoln high school, Bouge was employed as a rock crystal plate maker in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He entered the army on March 16, 1943. He received his radio training at Scott field Ill., and his gunner’s wings at Tyndall field gunnery school. Sgt. Bouge’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Bouge.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Tuesday, October 10, 1944, Page 6
HEAR SON MISSING OVER AUSTRIA
S. Sgt. Clifford J. Bouge has been missing in action over Austria since October 7, according to an announcement from the war department received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street, Monday.
A tail gunner, he had been overseas about three months and was based in Italy when reported missing.
A few weeks ago, S. Sgt. Bouge was awarded the air medal for saving the life of some of his crew members.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Tuesday, October 24, 1944, Page 3
Bogue Reported Dead in Austria
S. Sgt. Clifford J. Bogue, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bouge, 929 Avenue C, previously reported missing, is now reported as killed in action over Austria as of Oct. 7, 1944, according to word received here Wednesday.
Notice of his death, the war department said, came from the German government through the International Red Cross.
Sgt. Bogue was a tail-gunner on a B-17 based in Italy. He had been in the army two years and overseas since July. He attended Abraham Lincoln high school, and had worked here for the Iowa Clothes shop and Scientific Radio products. He had been awarded an air medal with clusters and a unit citation.
In addition to his parents, two brothers, Pvt. James Bogue of Camp Robinson, Ark., and Robert Bogue, at home; and a sister, Maxine, Portland, Ore., survive.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Wednesday, January 17, 1945, Page 5
RECEIVE PURPLE HEART FOR SON
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street, have received from the army headquarters the honor awarded posthumously to their son, S. Sgt. Clifford J. Bogue, reported killed in action Oct. 7, 1944.
Sgt. Bogue was a tail gunner on a Liberator bomber badly damaged and forced down behind the enemy lines in Europe. Five members of the bomber crew were taken prisoner, two, including Sgt. Bogue were killed and three others have been reported missing.
Sgt. Bogue’s parents received for him a citation of honor from Gen. H. H. Arnold, chief of the air forces, the purple heart medal and a memorial scroll from President Roosevelt.
Sgt. Bogue entered the armed services in April, 1943, and went over seas last July.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Sunday, March 04, 1945, Page 7
Diary Carries Story of Flyer’s Missions in Italy
The diary of S. Sgt. C. J. Bogue, tail gunner on a B-24 and who was killed Oct. 7, 1944 while flying out of an Italian air base, has been received here by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bogue, 718 North Thirty-eighth street. The diary lists the various missions and his reactions.
Mission 1 – Aug. 12, 1944. Anzeno gun emplacements. Light flak. No fighters. Not much good bombing.
Mission 2 – Aug. 13, 1944. Anzeno gun emplacements. Light flak. No fighters. Target destroyed.
Mission 3 – Aug. 14, 1944. Toulon, France. Bridges and gun emplacements. No flak – no fighters. Good bombing.
Mission 4 – Aug. 15. Toulon and Nice. Targets: barracks, railroads, highways, gun emplacements. Damn good bombing. No flack, no fighters. The invasion of southern France started on this date.
Mission 5 – Aug. 18. Belgrade. Targets: airports and planes. Good bombing, very light flak.
Aug. 20 – Near Budapest. Targets: airports and planes on the ground. Looks to me like they’re trying like hell to knock out the luftwaffe. Fairly good bombing. Medium flack around target. Saw one B-24 go down in flames and explode in the air. I saw no chutes. Few enemy planes but non attack our group.
Aug. 22 – No mission. Target” Vienna oil tanks beneath ground. We had to ABORT because of engine trouble. Squadron got nine planes. Second crew and plane lost since we have been here. Group lost seven ships.
Aug. 23 – No mission. Target: Vienna. Fighters again. Gunners got 20. F/O C. G. McConnell in 196 with Andersen’s crew went down before reaching target. Three to eight chutes reported. Nose gunner Cpl. John F. McHugh went to hospital last night in Fogia. Sqd. lost one plane. Group lost nine planes.
Mission 8 – Aug. 28. Target: Budapest railroad bridge. Target destroyed. Encountered rocket flak for first time. Very ineffective and about medium. No fighters. We had our new co-pilot today. Seems to be a good Joe, but no one will ever take McConnell’s place.
Mission 9 – Sept. 2. Target: Ferrara, Italy, railroads and traffic, five-span bridge. Took three runs on target but overcast prevented dropping of bombs. Moderate but ineffective flak. Got piece through floor of T. turret. P-38 escort. No fighters.
Sept. 3 – No mission. Started for Belgrade but a plane blew up on the runway. Mission cancelled.
Mission 10 – Sept. 5. Target: Belgrade bridges. Could not drop bombs because of clouds over target. Tried secondary target but too many clouds again. Saw six enemy fighters. They shot hell out of a straggler but did not attack formation. A lot of flak at target which we guided around.
Missions 11 and 12 –Lyons, France. Supply missions, Sept. 12 and 16.
Mission 13 – Sept. 24. Target: Athens, Greece, airfields and planes. JU-52. Excellent bombing. Very clear. Flak, moderate but close in. No hits. No fighters.
Mission 14 – Oct. 3. Target: Near Trieste, Italy, railroad bridge. Too much cloud coverage to drop bombs. Made three runs on target. No fighters. No flak. Rest of sqdn. Hits Munich. No losses.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Monday, May 21, 1945, Page 5
Sgt. Clifford John Bogue was born July 14, 1922 to Richard J. and Marjorie Williams Bogue. He died Oct. 7, 1944 and is buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Council Bluffs, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
