CLEMENTS, JAMES ARLEN
Deceased

Name: James Arlen Clements
Rank/Branch: United States Air Force/O4
Unit: 388 TFW
Date of Birth: 10 August 1932
Home City of Record: Queen City TX
Date of Loss: 09 October 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 202800 North 1054600 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno:

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).

JAMES A. CLEMENTS
Lieutenant Colonel - United States Air Force
Shot Down: October 9, 1967
Released: March 14, 1973

In 1954 I was graduated from East Texas State University with a BS degree in
Business. That same year I entered the Air Force and have been with the Air
Force ever since. I have always flown fighter airplanes and at the time of my
shoot down I was flying the F-105. I intend to stay in the Air Force. I would
like to start flying again as soon as possible but the smart thing for me to
do is to go to one of the schools like the Air War College.

One thing I will mention about my POW' experience. I don't remember ever
talking to another POW who doubted his country or the American people. I
always had faith in America and the American people and there was never for
one second any doubt.

I would like to pay tribute to the American people and especially to those who
did so much for the POWs. You can't really say with words how wonderful you
feel when the crowds of people are there to meet you as they met us at every
place we stopped on our way home. I have received many letters and phone calls
from very warm and generous people. I want to answer every one but that may
be too big a job for me. Sometimes the younger boys and girls would ask me to
write but forget to leave a return address. I realize how much work was done
on our behalf. I know how the American people remembered and cared and all
this is deeply appreciated.

LCol Jim Clements suffered from carcinoma cancer centered in the throat.
He died on March 27, 1997.

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