ELLIOTT, ALMOND DEAN AND MARY ALICE CLEAVENGER

Almond Dean Elliott was born January 9, 1924 at Mullen, Nebraska to Leo Larmar and Lillie Elsie Bradley. His wife, Mary Alice Cleavenger was born May.18, 1924 at Mullen, Nebraska to Charles Edward Cleavenger and Mary Ann (Mayme) Totten. Almond attend-ed school in Mullen and after graduation in 1941 he completed a machinist course in Kearney, Nebraska. He was employed by Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington in 1942 as a Class A machine operator. He shaped external and internal cylindrical surfaced by a hand operated engine lathe. Worked from drawings, did boring and thread cutting. Almond and Mary were married in Seattle, June 17, 1943. He entered The Army Air Corps on October 18, 1943 and got his training at Buckley Field, Denver, Colo. Laredo, Texas, Peterson Field at Colorado Springs, Colo. and at Mountain Home, Idaho. Almond and Mary's son Dean was born in 1944 while Almond was stationed at Laredo. In July 1944 Almond and his crew flew to a base in England from Topeka, Kansas. As an Aerial Gunner on a B-24 aircraft he fired and operated an aircraft gun position in aerial combat and was familiar with all gun positions on the plane. He also acted as togglier and checked the bomb load and dropped bombs. He and his crew flew 32 missions over Germany from their English base and were returned to the States in March of 1945. After a few months training in Kingman, Arizona he was stationed at Tyndall Field in Panama City, Florida as Post Operations Clerk in charge of the student gunner section. He also posted flying time and did typing work. Mary and their son Dean lived there for several months with him. He received an honorable discharge on September 30, 1945 at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama after earning the rank of S. Sgt.

The Elliotts and their son moved back to Mullen after Almond's discharge from the Air Corps. He went to work for Bob Blakeley at The Mullen Motor Company and learned to be a mechanic under Bob's training. He worked for Bob ten years and when Bob retired in 1955 Almond purchased the busi-ness. Almond owned and operated Mullen Motor Company for 30 years. He was a sub-dealer for Ford, Mercury and Lincoln cars and pickups and had a reputation of being an expert mechanic and was an honest and generous man with many friends. He was forced to give up the business in May of 1986 due to a serious illness. Almond was a member of St. Joseph's episcopal Church in Mullen, American Legion Marcy Upton Post # 109, Broken Bow Elks Lodge # 1688, Al-liance Eagles Lodge # 136 and the Mullen Golf Club. He served for many years as the Mullen Fire Chief. He passed away Septem-ber 21, 1986 at the Veterans Hospital in Grand Island, Nebraska at the age of 62. He was buried in the Cedarview Cemetery at Mullen, Nebraska.

Almond's wife Mary is a 1943 graduate of Mullen High School. She had been an active member of St. Josephs episcopal Church for over 50 years. Besides being a housewife and a full time mother she has been active in various community projects through the years. She is a member of The American Legion Auxiliary Post #109 Mullen, B.P.O. Does #109 of North Platte and the Mullen Women's Golf Club. She has spent several summers maintaining the grounds at the Cedarview Cemetery.

Almond and Mary were married for 43 years before his death and are the parents of five children. Dean Monroe was born

1944, Alice Ann (Mrs. Charles Schoene) born 1947, Patsy Lou (Mrs. Nick Phipps) born 1948, Lillie Marie (Mrs. James Fackler) born 1949 and Judy Lane (Mrs. Jerry Cool) born

1954. They have ten grandchildren, seven boys and three girls. Mary still resides in Mullen.