The Military Career of

Sergeant Eldon Clark Welliever

Early Life and Pre-War Years

Eldon Clark Welliever was born on March 19, 1918, on a farm near Corning, Kansas, the son of Chester Trego and Clara Trego Welliever . He grew up in the Corning community, graduating from Corning High School with the Class of 1935. After completing school, he worked for the Bert Anderson Construction Company of Soldier, Kansas .

On May 10, 1942, Eldon married Ruth Bernard of Holton, Kansas. Their only child, Terry Lynn Welliever, was born on March 2, 1944 .

Draft Registration and Induction

Eldon registered for the draft in 1940, listing his residence as Mayetta, Jackson County, Kansas. He was employed with Anderson & Sons Construction Company at the time. His draft card noted his father, Chester T. Welliever, as the contact person who would always know his address .

He was inducted into military service on January 23, 1943, beginning a journey that would take him across the United States for training and eventually to the China-Burma-India theater .

Training as a Radio Operator

Eldon’s basic training took place at St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida. From there, he was sent to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he received specialized radio training. He continued his studies at Madison, Wisconsin, for advanced radio schooling, with his final phase of instruction at the Philco factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania .

After completing his coursework, Eldon was transferred to Smoky Hill Air Base at Salina, Kansas, where he joined a flight crew. The crew underwent additional training at Clovis, New Mexico, before moving to Herrington Army Air Base in Kansas for their final preparations. There, Eldon trained as a radio operator on a B-29 Superfortress .

Deployment to the China-Burma-India Theater

On July 14, 1944, Eldon and his crew departed Herrington for overseas duty. Their route took them through Brazil, where mechanical troubles forced the group to remain for over a month. Another delay occurred in India after one crew member was injured, but by early September 1944, they reached their destination at Dudkindi, India, about 70 miles west of Calcutta .

Eldon was assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group, 677th Squadron, part of the Air Transport Command. This unit, one of the earliest to operate the B-29 Superfortress, was tasked with some of the most difficult and dangerous logistical missions of the war. Their duty included ferrying supplies and flying gasoline tankers over the Himalayas—the route known as “The Hump”—from India into China to fuel B-29 bombers conducting raids against Japan .

The Fatal Mission

On September 27, 1944, Eldon and four fellow officers were flying into Chengtu, China, in poor weather conditions. Their aircraft overshot the runway, crashed into a dry riverbed, and burst into flames. Witnesses reported that Eldon and another crewmember were thrown clear of the wreckage before it burned, which allowed their bodies to be identified .

He was initially buried in the American Cemetery at Chengtu, China, later moved to the American Cemetery at Honolulu, and finally returned to Kansas. He was laid to rest in Corning Cemetery, Nemaha County, among his family and community .

Honors and Legacy

Sergeant Eldon Clark Welliever served with distinction as a radio operator in one of the most challenging theaters of World War II. The 444th Bombardment Group and its 677th Squadron earned multiple Distinguished Unit Citations for their pioneering work with the B-29 and for their hazardous missions across the Himalayas .

Eldon’s sacrifice left behind his wife Ruth and their infant son Terry, along with his parents, two brothers (Walter and Maurice), and two sisters (Evelyn Monhollon and Inez Leonard). His story, like so many others from the war, illustrates the courage, endurance, and ultimate cost borne by servicemen of his generation.

Although Sergeant Eldon Clark Welliever gave his life in service to his country, he did not qualify for the Purple Heart. Under the rules in effect during World War II, the medal was awarded only when a service member was wounded or killed as a direct result of enemy action. Eldon’s death occurred on September 27, 1944, when his B-29 crashed while attempting to land at Chengtu, China, in poor weather conditions. Because this was classified as a non-battle accident rather than the result of enemy fire, he was listed as “DNB” (Died Non-Battle) and therefore ineligible for the award. His sacrifice, however, remains a testament to the dangers faced by those who flew the treacherous “Hump” route in support of the war effort.

SOURCES:

FIND A GRAVE

Eldon Clark Welliever VVeteran
Birth
19 Mar 1918
Nemaha County, Kansas, USA
Death
27 Sep 1944 (aged 26)
China
Burial
Corning Cemetery
Corning, Nemaha County, Kansas, USA
Plot
173
Memorial ID
60613754

Clipping on Find A Grave
A message containing notice of the death of Eldon Welliever in a plane crash over China on Sept. 27, was received here on Friday morning. He was the husband of the former Ruth Bernard of Holton and a son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Welliever of Mayetta. He was radio man of the U. S. Air Force. Mrs. Welliever and seven months old son Terry were visiting relatives in Wichita when the message came and she returned at once to Holton. Before entering service Welliever was employed with the Bert Anderson construction company.

U.S. Headston Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
Ancestry.com

APPLICATION FOR HEADSTONE OR MARKER
(Check Type Required)
☐ Upright Marble Headstone
☐ Flat Marble Marker
☐ Flat Granite Marker
☒ Bronze Marker (NOTE: Restrictions)
Enlistment Date: Jan 23 1943
Discharge Date: —
Serial No.: 37498083
Pension No.: —
Name (Last, First, Middle Initial):
Welliever, Eldon C.
Grade: Sgt
Branch: USAF
State: Kansas
Rank: Sgt
Company: Air Force
U.S. Regiment, State Organization, and Division:
Air Transport Command, Air Cargo Bank,
444th Group, 677th Squadron
Date of Birth (Month, Day, Year): March 19, 1918
Date of Death (Month, Day, Year): Sept 27, 1944
Name of Cemetery: Corning Cemetery
Location (City and State): Corning, Kansas
Ship To (I certify the applicant for this stone has made arrangements with me to transport the stone from the freight station to the cemetery):
C. T. Welliever (signature of consignee)
Nearest Freight Station (City and State): Mayetta, Ks
Post Office Address of Consignee: Mayetta, Kansas

I certify this application is submitted for a stone for the unmarked grave of a veteran. I hereby agree to assume all responsibility for the removal of the stone promptly upon arrival at destination, and properly place it at the decedent’s grave at my expense.
Applicant’s Signature: C. T. Welliever
Address (Street, City, State): Mayetta, Kansas

For Verification
Ordered: Feb 8 1949
Bates F.D.
Vernon, Calif.
Mar 3 1949
B/L: B278

Form: QMC Form 623 (REV 15 APR 47)
GPO 16–11453–6
Handwritten at top: WWII – Bronze Marker – Head Assn. #1293 filed

U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 for Eldon Clark Welliever
Ancestry

SERIAL NUMBER 1157
ORDER NUMBER 1063
Name (Print): Eldon Clark Welliever
Address (Print): Mayetta, Jackson, Kans.
Telephone: ✔
Age in Years: 22
Date of Birth: Mar 18, 1918
Place of Birth: Nemaha County, Kansas
Country of Citizenship: United States
Name of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address:
Mr. Chester Trego Welliever (Father)
Address of That Person: Mayetta, Jackson, Kans.
Employer’s Name: Anderson & Sons Const. Co.
Place of Employment or Business: Soldier, Jackson, Kans.

Registrant’s signature: Eldon Welliever
Form: REGISTRATION CARD – D.S.S. Form 1 (16–17105)
At the very top, in red pencil: Deceased.

Courier Tribune, May 25, 1944, page 2

Obituary of Clara E. Trego Welliever names Eldon Welliever as one of the pall bearers for her funeral.

Courier Tribune
9 Oct 1944
page 6

Centralia …
Eldon Welliever Killed In a Plane Crash
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Welliever, Mayetta, received a message from the War Department that their youngest son, Eldon, had been killed in a plane crash over China, Sept. 27. He was radio man on a B-29. The Welliever family formerly lived on Centralia route, east of town. Sympathy is extended to them in their sorrow. Eldon was a nephew of Frank Mentha. The other two sons of Mr. and Mrs. Welliever, Walter and Maurice, are also in service.

Courier Tribune
11 Nov 1946
page 2
Eldon Welliever
Eldon Welliever, trained in radio work and member of crews of B-17s and B-29s, lost his life on Sept. 27, 1944, when he and four of his officers were making a non-combatant trip over the “hump” to an air base in China, ferrying gasoline. Their plane crashed at the air base. Eldon leaves his wife, small son, Holton; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Welliever, Mayetta.

Courier Tribune
13 Dec 1948
page 6
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Welliever of Mayetta received a telegram from the Government that the body of their son, Eldon Welliever, had been shipped from China. There will be later news when the body reaches the States. Eldon was a nephew of Frank Mentha of Centralia.

Courier Tribune
16 Dec 1948
page 1

A Service at Corning Sunday
For Sergeant Eldon Welliever
Sergeant Eldon Welliever
Services are to be held at Corning Sunday afternoon for Sergeant Eldon Welliever, who lost his life Sept. 27, 1944 in China. He and four officers were making a trip over the “hump” when their plane crashed at an air base.
The service Sunday will be held at 3:00, at the Corning Methodist church, and will be conducted by Rev. Travis Siever of Holton. Services at the graveside at the Corning cemetery will be conducted by the Corning post of the American Legion.
Eldon left his wife and small son of Holton; and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Welliever, formerly of this county, and now of Mayetta.

Courier Tribune
23 Dec 1948
page 5
Sgt. Eldon C. Welliever
Eldon Clark Welliever, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Welliever, was born on a farm near Corning, Kansas, on March 19, 1918.
He grew to young manhood in the Corning community, graduating from the Corning high school with the class of 1935. After completing his high school course, he was employed by the Bert Anderson Construction Company, of Soldier, Kansas. On May 10, 1942, Eldon was married to Ruth Bernard of Holton, Kansas, and to

this union, one son, Terry Lynn, was born on March 2, 1944. Eldon was inducted into service on January 23, 1943, and received his basic training at St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla. He received his radio training at Sioux Falls, S. Dak., was then sent to Madison, Wisc., for advanced radio schooling. His final radio training was in the Philco factory at Philadelphia, Pa. He was then transferred to the Smoky Hill air base at Salina, to be assigned to a flight training crew. This matched crew received further training at Clovis, N. Mex. From this station he was sent to the Air Base at Herrington, Kans. His final training, with his crew, on a B-29 bomber, was at the air base at Herrington. He left Herrington on July 14, 1944 for overseas duty in the India-China theater. On the way made this trip, by way of Brazil, South America, and due to engine trouble they were forced to remain in Brazil for more than a month. An injury to one of the crew members made another delay necessary in India, so it was not until early September, 1944, that Eldon and his crew arrived at their destination of Dudkindi, India, 70 miles west of Calcutta, India. Upon arrival, the entire crew was assigned to the 444th group, 677th squadron, whose duty it was to fly gasoline tankers over the “Hump” from India to China, to refuel the B-29 bombers, which were being used against the enemy at that time. It was the judgment of all the boys in the service, in that area, that this was one of the most difficult services to be assigned in the Pacific area, and one of the most important. Eldon was a radio operator and was a lead man in his crew. He met his death on Sept. 27, 1944, when the plane coming in for a landing at Chengtu, China, in very bad weather, overshot the runway, ran into a dry river bed and burned. It is a source of real satisfaction to the loved ones, that an eye witness sent word that Eldon, and one other man of the crew, were thrown clear of the plane before it burned, so that identity of the bodies was a very simple process. Eldon was buried in the American cemetery at Chengtu, China, and the body was later transferred to the American cemetery at Honolulu, before it was returned by the government, for final interment among the remains of loved ones in the Corning cemetery. Eldon is survived by his mother and father, who now live in the Mayetta community, his son, Terry Lynn, of Wetawaka, two brothers, Walter F., of Baton Rouge, La., and Maurice O., of Holton, and two sisters, Evelyn Monhollon of Holton, and Inez Leonard of St. Joseph, Mo. One brother, Virgil L., died in 1913. There are several nieces and nephews, uncles and aunts and a large circle of friends. Services were held Sunday afternoon in the Methodist church in Corning, conducted by Rev. Travis W. Siever of Holton. The church was filled to capacity and many were standing. Music was furnished by a mixed quartette, accompanied by Robert Sigg. Casket-bearers were: John Freel, Lloyd Frederickson, Floyd Coe, Bernard Cottrell, George Clark and Byron Nightingale. At the cemetery, the Legion conducted a military burial, closing with taps by Gilbert Jeffery, with Clark Jeffery sounding the echo.
Mrs. W. L. Stephens, assisted by Mrs. F. W. Kempin, Mrs. Ira Payne, Mrs. J. R. Bradley and Mrs. Gerald Stephens, served coffee to the relatives and friends who came from a distance, preceding the service.

US Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945

Welliever, Eldon C Info
Full Name
Welliever, Eldon C
Gender
Male
Race
White
Religion
Protestant
Branch
Army
Service Number
37498083
Rank
Sergeant
Burial Cemetery
Kansas
Notes
According to next of kin
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United States of America

US, WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List, 1946 Kansas
Jackson County
Welliever, Eldon C Info
Full Name
Welliever, Eldon C
Serial Number
37498083
Rank
SGT
Type of Casualty
DNB
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United States of America

US WWII Hospital Admission Card FIles,1942-1954
Fold 3

Race White, includes Mexican
Admission Age 26
Admission Date Mar 1944
Admission Type Of Injury Disease
Military Service Number 37498083
Rank Enlisted Man
Branch Air Force, General or Unspecified
Length Of Service 1 Year(s), 0 Month(s)
Injured In Line Of Duty In line of duty
Medical Diagnosis Diagnosis: Mumps
Discharge Type Duty
Discharge Date Apr 1944
Conflict Period World War II
Served For United States of America

US, WWII Hosptial Admission Card Files, 1942-1954
Fold3

Race White, includes Mexican
Admission Age 26
Admission Date Sep 1944
Admission Type Of Injury
Injury, non-battle
Military Service Number
37498083
Rank
Enlisted Man
Branch
Air Force, General or Unspecified
Length Of Service
1 Year(s), 9, 10 OR 11 MONTHS Month(s)
Injured In Line Of Duty
In line of duty
Medical Diagnosis
FirstLocation: Unknown, code not applicable
Discharge Type
Died
Discharge Date
Sep 1944
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United States of America

US, Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2020
Ancestry.com

Name
Eldon Clark Welliever
Gender
Male
Birth Date
19 Mar 1918
Death Date
27 Sep 1944
Cause of Death
Other
SSN
509055413
Enlistment Branch
Air Force
Enlistment Date
13 Jan 1943
Discharge Date
27 Sep 1944
Page number
2

Perplexity AI
What can you tell me about the Army Air Force 444th Group, 677th Squadron during world war 2?

The Army Air Forces 444th Bombardment Group and its 677th Bombardment Squadron played a significant role in World War II, primarily as part of the first units to field the advanced Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber. The group and squadron are distinguished for their service in the China Burma India Theater and later the Pacific, participating in many of the early long-range bombing missions against Japan and earning multiple Distinguished Unit Citations for effectiveness and bravery.wikipedia+2
Formation and Training
The 677th Bombardment Squadron was activated on March 1, 1943, at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, as part of the 444th Bombardment Group. Initial training involved flying B-17s, B-24s, and B-26s before transitioning to the new B-29 Superfortress. Technicians frequently modified aircraft during this period to address development and reliability issues.wikipedia+1
Combat Operations
The squadron deployed to Charra Airfield, India, in April 1944. Due to limitations at this airfield, aircraft were used primarily in a maintenance and staging capacity, with combat missions staged from other airbases.wikipedia
Flying as part of the 58th Bombardment Wing, the 677th was engaged in pioneering B-29 operations: missions involved flying supplies over “The Hump” to forward bases in China, and using adapted bombers as tankers to move necessary fuel.wikipedia+1
The squadron’s first combat operation was a strike against Bangkok, Thailand, on June 5, 1944. Days later, it participated in the first B-29 attack on the Japanese home islands since the Doolittle Raid, bombing Yawata, Japan, from Chinese bases. For its effectiveness in these raids, the squadron received multiple Distinguished Unit Citations.wikipedia+1
Missions continued against strategic targets across Burma, Thailand, Japan, China, and Formosa. In the spring of 1945 the squadron moved to Tinian in the Marianas, continuing bombing missions—including incendiary raids on Japanese cities—until the end of the war.wikipedia+1
Equipment
The squadron flew B-24 Liberators, B-17 Flying Fortresses, early YB-29 prototypes, and finally, production model B-29 Superfortresses during its service.wikipedia
One aircraft per squadron was often converted to a flying fuel tanker for supply missions.wikipedia
Postwar
After Japan’s surrender, the 677th returned to the U.S. and was stationed at Merced Army Air Field (later Castle Field), California, before being inactivated on October 1, 1946. Personnel and equipment were integrated into the 43rd Bombardment Group.wikipedia
Honors and Distinctions
The 677th Squadron received three Distinguished Unit Citations for its operations, notably for raids on Yawata, Kobe, Nagoya, and Osaka, as well as for its resilience under difficult logistical and operational conditions.wikipedia+1
The squadron contributed to some of the longest and most technically challenging bombing missions of World War II, including mining operations and extended-range strategic bombing.
This unit’s pioneering work in heavy bombardment and strategic air operations marked a significant evolution in Allied airpower during the Second World War.military-history.fandom+2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/677th_Bombardment_Squadron
https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/128/
https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/444th_Bombardment_Group.cfm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/444th_Air_Expeditionary_Wing
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/677th_Bombardment_Squadron
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234781366.pdf
https://worldwartwoveterans.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/The-pictorial-history-of-the-444th-Bombardment-Group-very-heavy.pdf
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/444th_Air_Expeditionary_Wing
https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/432810/444-air-expeditionary-wing-acc/
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=161014
https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F303339-677th-678th-bombardment-squadrons-444th-bombardment-group-20th-aaf-theater-made-patches%2F
https://www.20af.org/444th-bomb-group.cfm?ln=w
https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?file=monument_details.php&SiteID=495&MemID=768&page=3
Roster of crew casualites for September 1944