CLYDE A. Age 91, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 25, 2012. Clyde was born December 18, 1920 in Trinidad, CO to Opal S. and Carl C. Dunlap. He lived as a young boy in the now "ghost town" of Dawson, NM. He moved to Albuquerque during the Great Depression and lived with his parents and three brothers on a small farm in the southwest valley. He graduated from Albuquerque High School where he set the state of New Mexico record in the 100 yard dash. This record stood for over 10 years. Clyde joined the Army Air Corps as a member of the 8th Air Force and served in World War II. He was stationed in Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England and became an engineer/top turret gunner on the B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber aircraft. On the 14th mission (February, 1944) of then S/Sgt Dunlap's B-17, aka the "Pistol Packin' Mama" (508 Bomb Squadron, 351 Bomb Group H), the aircraft was attacked as it returned from a bombing run over Germany. After a furious gun battle with several Nazi aircraft in which all of the attacking enemy aircraft were destroyed, S/Sgt Dunlap's plane was forced to ditch into the wintry North Sea. As the crew struggled to exit the aircraft, S/Sgt Dunlap kept his poise and somehow found a way to release the aircraft's life raft, one of which had been heavily damaged by enemy fire. S/Sgt Dunlap and his fellow crew members were battered for several hours by 20-foot icy waves. While several crew members drowned or froze to death that day, S/Sgt Dunlap was able to save other lives besides his own, including that of crewmate S/Sgt "Red" Rawdon. He did that by holding Red's head out of the water for several hours as they all struggled in the one damaged, yet marginally usable life raft. He also slapped Red's face continually; something which Red later said kept him alive. When all hope of rescue had been lost, a British Air Sea Rescue vessel finally appeared on the horizon and rescued the surviving crew members thinking they were Germans, but were delighted to find they were "Yanks." These "Yanks" included S/Sgt Dunlap. Clyde was the last surviving member of this crew. Clyde spent the bulk of his professional career, over 40 years, at Sandia National Laboratories. He was a member of New Covenant Church. Clyde lived a full and wonderful life of gentleness, kindness, honesty, and honor. He married the love of his life, Doris M. Jurgensen, in 1946 and proved himself to be a faithful, loving husband to her until she passed away in 2007. He loved and missed her daily until he died. This beautiful love story included one child, his beloved daughter, Judith. Clyde was the ultimate husband and father and loved his family above all else. Clyde was also preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ronald Dunlap and Carl Dunlap Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Judith (Judee) Dunlap Blaich and her husband, L. Mason Blaich; his beloved grandson, W. Parker Bryant and wife, Annie Bryant; great-granddaughter, Elison Ann Bryant; best friend and brother, Roy L. Dunlap; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks go out to Clyde's brother, Roy L. Dunlap, his nephew, Roy Dunlap Jr., and his niece, Carla Beitler for the loving kindness extended to Clyde during the last several years of his life. Cremation has taken place and Memorial Services will be held Friday, March 30, 2012, 11:00 a.m., at the Chester T. French Memorial Mausoleum Chapel, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Please visit our online guestbook for Clyde at: www.RememberTheirStory.com FRENCH 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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