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Peter L Kleist


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Peter Leroy Kleist 1920 - 1985

Peter Leroy Kleist born Aril 10, 1920 in Chicago,IL.


Passed away at the age of  65 in Van Nuys, California 1985.


Aviation Cadet, Santa Ana California


Active duty March 6, 1942 - March 5, 1945. Bombardier 15th AAF, 301st BG, 352nd BS.

8th AAF, 12th AAF and the 15th AAF


Served in the ETO, MTO, Middle East Theater of Operations

Extract:  San Angelo AAF, Texas August 31, 1945 - September 6, 1945

Separation: Camp Atterby, Indiana. September 8,  1945

Arrive Home Town: Winamac, Indiana. September 9, 1945

301st BG 352nd BS Click here for 301ST web-site http://www.301bg.com/352nd_Bomb_Squadron.cfm
Click to go to NATIONAL WWll MEMORIAL http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/edit/search.asp

Dedication

Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force 1944 General Order # 723 Date, 03/11/1944 Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated: Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 4 Jan 1944 to 10 Jan 1944 AM/OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  01/04/1944 Sofia Bulgaria - City 01/07/1944 Fiume Italy - TW 01/08/1944 Reggio/Emilia Italy - ACF/MY 01/09/1944 Pola Italy - D 01/10/1944 Sofia Bulgaria - City 01/11/1944 Piraeus Greece - H 01/13/1944 Rome Italy - AD 01/14/1944 Mostar Yugoslavia - AD 01/15/1944 Fano Italy - RR Bridge 01/16/1944 Klagenfurt Austria - ACF 01/17/1944 Pontassieve Italy - MY/RR Br 01/18/1944 Pontedera Italy - MY/RR Br 01/19/1944 Rome Italy - AD _______________________________________________________________________________________ General Order # 723 Part two Date, 03/11/1944 Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated: Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 22 Jan 1944 to 27 Jan 1944 AM/OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  01/22/1944 Turin Italy - MY 01/23/1944 Ceprano Italy - RR Br 01/24/1944 Din Tserovene Bulgaria - MY 01/25/1944 Perugia Italy - MY 01/27/1944 Montpellier France -AD _______________________________________________________________________________________ Order # 446, Date, 05/14/1944 Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated, and/or for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while performing an act of merit as indicated Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 29, Jan 1944 to 24, Feb 1944 AM/OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  01/29/1944 Prato Italy - MY 01/30/1944 Villaorba Italy - LG 01/31/1944 Klagenfurt Austria - AD 02/04/1944 Antheor France -VD 02/12/1944 Ariccia Italy - TRC 02/14/1944 Brescia Italy - MY 02/15/1944 Cassino Italy - M 02/17/1944 Campoleon Italy - Town 02/22/1944 Regensburg Germany - ACF 02/24/1944 Steyr Austria -ACF _______________________________________________________________________________________ General Order # 447 Date, 05/14/1944 Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated, and/or for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while performing an act of merit as indicated: Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 02, March 1944 to 18, March 1944 Jan 1944AM/OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  03/02/1944 Anzio Beachhead Italy - TRC 03/03/1944 Rome Italy - MY 03/07/1944 Toulon France - SSP 03/11/1944 Padua Italy - MY 03/15/1944 Cassino Italy - Town 03/17/1944 Fischamend Markt Austria - ACF 03/18/1944 Villaorba Italy - LG _______________________________________________________________________________________ General Order # 732 Date, 5/301944, Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated, and/or for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while performing an act of merit as indicated: Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 19, March 1944 to 17, April 1944 Jan 1944 AM/4OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  03/19/1944 Klagenfurt Austria -AD 03/22/1944 Verona Italy - MY 03/26/1944 Steyr Austria - BB 03/28/1944 Verona Italy - MY 03/29/1944 Turin Italy - MY 03/30/1944 Sofia Bulgaria - City 04/02/1944 Steyr Austria - BB 04/03/1944 Budapest Hungary - ACF 04/04/1944 Bucharest Romania - MY 04/05/1944 Polesti Romania - MY 04/07/1944 Treviso Italy - MY 04/12/1944 Fischamend Markt Austria - ACF 04/13/1944 Gyor Hungary - AD 04/15/1944 Ploesti Romania - MY 04/16/1944 Brasov Romania - ACF 04/17/1944 Belgrade Yugoslavia - MY _______________________________________________________________________________________ General Order # 1161 Date, 6/19/944, Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated, and/or for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while performing an act of merit as indicated: Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 28, April 1944 to 14, May 1944 Jan 1944 AM/5OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  04/28/1944 Rome Italy - AD 04/29/1944 Toulon France - SSP 04/30/1944 Milan Italy - ACF 05/05/1944 Ploesti Romania - PS 05/06/1944 Brasov Romania - AD 05/07/1944 Bucharest Romania - MY 05/10/1944 Weiner-Neustadt Austria - ACF 05/12/1944 Chivasso Italy - MY 05/13/1944 Avisio Italy - RR Br 05/14/1944 Mantua Italy - MY _______________________________________________________________________________________ General Order # 1617 Date, 6/19/944, Air Medal is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, Army of USA, residence as indicated, for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy between the dates indicated, and/or for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while performing an act of merit as indicated: Peter Kleist 1st Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. From: 19, May 1944 to 8, June 1944 AM/6OLC Air Medal (AM) Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)  05/19/1944 Latisana Italy - RR Br 05/22/1944 Avenzzano Italy - Town 05/24/1944 Avisio Italy - RR Br 05/25/1944 Lyons France - MY 05/26/1944 St Etienne France - MY 05/27/1944 Avignon France - MY 05/29/1944 Wollersdorf Austria - AD 05/30/1944 Zagreb Yugoslavia - MY 05/31/1944 Ploesti Romania - OR 06/02/1944 Oradea Romania-MY 06/04/1944 Antheor France-VD 06/05/1944 Vado Italy - VD 06/06/1944 Turnu-Severin Yugoslavia - Canal 06/08/1944 Pola Italy - SSP _______________________________________________________________________________________ Peter Kleist 2nd Lt, Route 35 Winamac, Indiana. 2, Feb 1944 PUC (PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION) Regensburg Germany - ACF Peter was listed on a roster of personnel assigned to the 301st Bombardment Group on this date, 25 Feb. 1944, when they were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). %22NEW%22_Mission_Photos___Documentation_301st_BG.html301st_BG_This_Day_in_History.htmlhttp://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=307http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=339http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=340http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=340http://livepage.apple.com/http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=340http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=340http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=360http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=360http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=360http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=360http://livepage.apple.com/http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=360http://www.301bg.com/Mission.cfm?MID=361http://livepage.apple.com/shapeimage_5_link_0shapeimage_5_link_1shapeimage_5_link_2shapeimage_5_link_3shapeimage_5_link_4shapeimage_5_link_5shapeimage_5_link_6shapeimage_5_link_7shapeimage_5_link_8shapeimage_5_link_9shapeimage_5_link_10shapeimage_5_link_11shapeimage_5_link_12shapeimage_5_link_13shapeimage_5_link_14shapeimage_5_link_15

  LAST UP-DATE

04/06/2010

Incomplete Grouping of  Medals / Ribbons Earned

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Air Medal


15th AAF

European_African_Middle_Eastern_

Campaign_Medal_

Ribbon

Victory Medal

Air force in Europe Medal


Good Conduct Metal

Four- Oak Leaf Cluster

Four - Bronze Stars

Air

Ribbon

Presidential

Unit Citation

Made on a Mac

Bombing involved complex principles of physics and mathematics, including the laws of falling bodies and of motion, and concepts of air resistance and air movement. Students, to succeed as bombardiers, had to he able to comprehend these principles. Allied traits included

a good memory; ability to locate and identify, the target; and ability to perform duties rapidly and accurately under pressure of limited time and the strain of combat. A graduate of bombardier school had to he confident, resourceful, and cooperative. He was a leader, planner and organizer who was willing to take responsibility for the success of missions.


And evidence of absolute loyalty was required of the bombardier, perhaps more so than of any other air crew member. The bombardier was given the care of an instrument that was early classified as "Secret". This instrument was the Norden bombsight, a precision bomb-aiming and bomb release mechanism, actually a very delicate and sophisticated target-tracking computer. The bombardier knew this complex instrument inside and out.


Bombardier Cadet

Special thanks to all who contributed information to this web site