Veterans Day Parade to Honor Fallen Pilot

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — The city will commemorate Veterans Day on Saturday with its annual parade, followed by a ceremony honoring a local hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

The Veterans Day Parade will proceed to Shelton Beaty American Legion Post 18, where attendees will honor SPC/CPT (A) USA Clifford Eugene Gottlob during the post's annual bean feed at 1 p.m.

Gottlob, born in 1939 in Winfield, grew up attending local schools and graduated from Winfield High School in 1957. At age 12, he joined the Civil Air Patrol, where he learned to fly single-engine aircraft over four years.

After high school, Gottlob moved to Wichita to study small engine repair. During those years, he logged more than 1,000 hours flying small aircraft, skills that would lead him to join the Army in the spring of 1960.

Following basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Gottlob was sent to Fort Knox for advanced engine repair training, graduating at the top of his class with two letters of commendation.

After graduation, he was assigned to the 33rd Missile Artillery Brigade in Germany, where he was recruited to fly personnel around the country until transitioning to flying the early Gruman OV-1 twin-engine Mohawks as a reconnaissance aircraft. He received training on classified cameras and served in Vietnam from 1964 when the aircraft was first deployed on temporary duty to Southeast Asia on five occasions.

During his final tour on Aug. 4, 1964, Gottlob's aircraft was struck by heavy automatic weapons fire, causing a severe wound to his head. Trying to control the bleeding while maintaining control of his aircraft, he returned to his base, where he was treated for his wounds. On Aug. 7, 1964, Gottlob was returned to Germany.

Weeks later, he was given an honorable discharge with no mention of his Vietnam service.

In 1965, Gottlob began his full-time career in Arkansas City as a mechanic. By opening his own shop, he repaired Skyline vehicles along the many citizens of Cowley County.

From 1965 to 2001, Gottlob competed in the Sports Car racing circuit, gaining fame as a driver with multiple speed records across the country. He continued to test and build engines for many years before his death.

Gottlob served as thesident of the Cowley County Americh Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.