Clifford E. Pitts (1921 - 1944)

Born 22 Apr 1921 in Oklahoma, United States

Ancestors

Died 14 Dec 1944 at age 23 in Near Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: MG Pitts [send private message]

Biography

Clifford E. Pitts, born 1925 in OK (son of Frank & Myrtle Mae (Lester) Pitts, served as an instructor pilot in the early stages of World War II training British students in Vinita (OK) and was killed in an aircraft accident. He and a student were killed instantly. Their aircraft made a sudden pitch down and drove straight in to the ground at a high rate of speed.

Military

Name: Clifford E. Pitts

Army Serial # 38563217

Residence: Garfield Co., OK

Nativity: OK

Year of Birth: 1925

Race: White

Education: 2 years high school

Civilian Occupation: Motorcyclist

Marital Status: Single, without dependents

Place of enlistment: OKC, OK

Date of enlistment: July 20, 1943

Grade: Private

No branch assignment listed

Box # 1351 Film Reel Number # 6,117

Obituary

Miami Daily News-Record (Miami, OK), 15 Dec 1944 Clifford Pitts, Instructor was killed in a place crash

Vinita Airman Dies In Crash

Clifford Pitts Killed near Picher Thursday

Clifford Pitts, 24, former resident of Vinita and for the past two years an instructor at the Spartan School of aeronautics at Miami, was killed instantly Thursday afternoon in a plane crash eight miles northwest of Picher. With him was a British cadet, James Boyd, 20, who was also killed.

The accident occurred at 5:15 Thursday evening. Cause of the crash is unknown and officers today were still investigating, it was said.

Pitts was graduated from Vinita high school in 1940. He had been with the Miami school for two years.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Jimi Brown Pitts of Miami, also a former Vinitan, his mother , Mrs. Myrtle Pitts of Vinita, two brothers, Frank of Tulsa and Pfc. Roy Pitts, serving with an ordnance group overseas, and his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Ann Pitts, near Vinita.

Funeral services for the British cadet, a native of Prestwick, Scotland, will be held at the Presbyterian church at Miami at 10 o'clock Saturday morning, with Rev. Harry W. Curtis officiating. Burial will be in the GAR cemetery at Miami, with full military honors.

The Pitts rites will be in Vinita, Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the First Baptist Church, with Rev. J. Harvey Scott officiating. Rev. J. Morris Mulkey of Oklahoma City will assist. Pallbearers for the service will be flight instructors of the Miami field.

Burial will be in Fairlawn cemetery under direction of Luginbuel's. ^[1]

Burial

Vinita City Cemetery, Vinita, Craig Co., OK

Vol 2: page 66;

Halsell Malone Parkside East section:

Clifford E. Pitts Apr 22, 1921-Dec 14,1944

Sources

1. ↑ Source: Ken Clagett

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of PittsPenn_2010-09-21.ged on 22 September 2010 by MG Pitts.