This is the 34th article about Clent Breedlove’s Plainview Pre-Glider School at Finney Field. In the last article, details about C. B. “Boots” King and his brothers were discussed. “Boots” King trained to be a glider pilot at Finney Field. Three of his four brothers also served in the armed forces during WWII.

“Boots” King’s oldest brother, Lt. Lee King, was a C-46 transport pilot in the USAAF serving in the Indo-China Theater.

One of King’s other brothers who served was Sgt. William L. “Bill” King who was an army airplane mechanic and stationed in France. The other brother was Jack J. King who served his country in the U.S. Navy, stationed somewhere in the Pacific.

William L. “Bill” King was born on Feb.15, 1911 in Denton County, Texas, but grew up in Tahoka.

Bill King joined the USAAF in February 1942.

According to information about him found at the Tahoka Pioneer Museum, he received training at several Army Air Forces bases to prepare him for his overseas assignments. He served as an airplane crew chief in the 14th Troop Carrier Squadron, 61st Troop Carrier Group.

So although not a glider pilot like his older brother, “Boots”, Bill King did his part to support the glider missions in Europe by maintaining the C-47’s that towed the gliders.

“In December 1943, he arrived at Barkston Heath, England, to use his skills in keeping the C-47 aircraft of the squadron flying. The squadron, with Bill King as Flight Engineer, was involved in the following European campaigns: Sicily, Central Europe, and Rhineland,” stated the museum article.

Following the end of hostilities with Nazi Germany, he was transferred to Natal, Brazil. Four months later he went to Ft. Sam Houston, at San Antonio, Texas, where he given an honorable discharge on Sept. 29, 1945, noted the article in the Tahoka museum.

After the war, Bill King married Ethel Boyd Crenshaw on May 4, 1947 in Tahoka.

He worked as a permit agent for Amoco Production Oil Company and retired in 1984, stated a Lynn County News obituary. He died on April 30, 1987 at the age of 76 in Big Spring, Texas.

“Boots” King’s youngest brother was Jack J. King, born on Nov. 30, 1919 in Tahoka.

Jack King enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1942.

Jack King decided to make the Navy his career. His time spanned not only WWII but also the Korean and Vietnam Wars, totaling 30years of service to his country. He retired from the Navy on Jan. 31, 1972.

A fifth brother, Kelly, could not serve in the military due to some missing toes on one foot. Kelly King was employed in a defense plant according to the Lynn County News.

King also had two sisters, Florence King Smith and Kathleen King Holtwick. Both of their husbands served in the military, too.

Florence Smith’s husband was a pilot in the Air Transport Command in China according the Lynn County News.

Kathleen Holtwick worked as the night supervisor at West Texas Hospital in Lubbock.

Holtwick supplied the museum a statement about her oldest brother, Lee King, which was about a certificate from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a letter of condolence from Gen. T.O. Hardin of the Indo-China Air Command which was sent to King’s wife.

The certificate from President Roosevelt read, in part: “He stands in an unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase in blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives - in a way that humbles the undertaking of most men.”

An article from the Lynn County News found at the Tahoka Pioneer Museum stated that C.B. “Boots” King was born in Sanger, Texas but came to Tahoka with his family when he was a small child. He grew up in Tahoka and spent most of his life there.

He went to grade school and high school in Tahoka. After graduating from high school, King worked for various local businesses before joining the USAAF in March 1942.

According to the information found at the museum, Flight/Officer C.B. King was in the 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group.

King died after he successfully landed his WACO CG-4A glider, though badly burned, as part of Operation “Varsity." He landed his glider a few miles north of Wesel, Germany and about six miles on the east side of the Rhine River.

According to his cousin, Aulyne King Breedlove, he was shot in the back.

The purpose of this combat mission was “to take and hold nine bridges over the Issel Canal,” stated the article at the museum. There were 72 C-47 Dakota tow planes and 144 WACO CG-4A gliders used in the mission which was a double glider tow operation, it stated.

The Lynn County News paid a final tribute to “Boots” King with the following statement: “He was industrious and popular and many friends deeply deplore the fact that he became the victim of the diabolical enemies of our country and of liberty and justice everywhere.”

In a recent interview, Charles Day, secretary of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association, provided many details from the glider pilots’ database about C B. “Boots” King.

“After King completed his pre-glider training at Plainview’s Finney Field, he most likely had primary glider training at another air field and then went on to Dalhart Army Air Field for advanced glider training.”

King’s enlisted serial number was 18110958. He graduated from Dalhart AAF in Class 43-1 on Jan. 6, 1943 with the Flight Officer serial number of T120663.

Day continued by stating that King went to Europe and flew four glider combat missions: Normandy, Southern France, Market-Garden and Varsity. He was killed March 23, 1945, during Operation Varsity in Germany.

Day does not have any other details about “Boots” King except a listing of the medals that were awarded to him: a posthumous Purple Heart, the Orange Lanyard for Market-Garden, the Air Medal for the Normandy landings and one Oak Leaf Cluster for each of the following operations: Southern France, Market-Garden and Varsity.


