Clifford William Lynum was born May 17, 1920, at Irene, Clay County, South Dakota, to Peder and Ida Lynum. He had one sister. Clifford was raised and educated in Clay County; he graduated from Irene High School in 1938. Before entering the service, Clifford lived and worked in Yankton, South Dakota. Clifford married Louise Mellem at Santa Monica, California, on January 24, 1943. They had a daughter, Carol.

On September 24, 1942, Clifford Lynum entered active service at Ft. Crook, Nebraska. Training in the Army Air Corps, Clifford went first to North American School at Inglewood, California, and then on to air bases in Utah, California, Arizona, and Texas. Lynum received his wings at Kingman, Arizona, and was an upper turret gunner on a Flying Fortress. Before he was to be sent overseas, Sergeant Lynum was stationed at Kearney, Nebraska.

On March 6, 1944, Sergeant Clifford Lynum was killed in a plane crash near Maxwell, Iowa. His remains were returned to South Dakota, and he was buried with military honors at Irene.

This entry was respectfully submitted by Sheila Hansen, Fallen Sons State Coordinator, Spearfish, South Dakota. Information for this entry was provided by an application for a SD veteran’s bonus payment and by newspaper clippings.