Cleophus Walter Valentine (1925 - 2006)

Born 18 Sep 1925 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Died 13 Jan 2006 at age 80 in Southfield, Oakland, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Cleophus Valentine is Notable.

2nd Lieutenant Cleophus Valentine served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: 27 Dec 1943
Unit(s): 477th Bombardment Group
Service ended: 13 Jul 1946

Captain Cleophus Valentine served in the United States Air Force in the Korean War
Service started: 1 Sep 1947
Unit(s):
Service ended:

Major Cleophus Valentine served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War
Service started:
Unit(s):
Service ended: 11 Mar 1958

Cleophus Valentine served as a US military pilot during World War II. He was one of the “Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen.” The Tuskegee Airmen were known for heroic combat service in support of Allied Forces in the European Theater. They served with the 332d Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group, both largely Black units of the United States Army Air Forces.

Cleophus Walter Valentine was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1925.^[1] He was the son of Sam Valentine and Edna Robinson.

Cleophus graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Graduating Cadet Class - Twin Engine Section - TE-45-A - March 11, 1945.^[2]

In 1955, he married Wanda Thompson.^[3] They divorced in 1971.^[4]

He was mentioned in the Congressional Record in 2003^[5] in a list of 155 Tuskegee Airmen from Michigan who were being honored by Congresswoman Stabenow. He was mentioned a second time in the Congressional Record in 2004^[6] when Congressman Levin announced that he would introduce legislation to honor the Tuskegee Airmen collectively with the Congressional Gold Medal.

He died in 2006^[7][8] and is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.^[9][10] His wife, Bernice, died on February 12, 2012 and was buried with him in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947"
   National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Michigan, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1230
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2238 #268786601
   Name: Cleophus Walter Valentine; Gender: Male; Race: Negro (Black); Age: 18; Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head); Birth Date: 18 Sep 1925; Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA; Residence Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA; Registration Date: 18 Sep 1943; Registration Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA; Employer: Andy Chrystals; Height: 5 11; Weight: 162; Complexion: Light brown; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Brown; Next of Kin: Rufus Greir;
   Household Members (Name) Relationship:
   Cleophus Walter Valentine Self (Head).
2. ↑ List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes
3. ↑ Marriage: "California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959"
   California Department of Health and Welfare. California Vital Records—Vitalsearch
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5186 #490911
   Cleophus W Valentine (30) marriage to Wanda L Thompson on 21 Apr 1955 in Alameda, California, USA.
4. ↑ Divorce: "Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985"
   Various public records
   Ancestry Record 60927 #38453
   Cleophus Valentine divorce from Wanda L Valentine on 9 Dec 1971 in Denver, Colorado, USA.
5. ↑ 11 Nov 2003 Congressional Record, page S14388, "Cleophus Valentine of Detroit" in Tuskegee Airmen list.
6. ↑ 2004 Congressional Record
7. ↑ Social Security: "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007"
   Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007
   Ancestry Record 60901 #806889339
   Name: Cleophus Valentine [Cleophus W Valentine]; Gender: Male; Birth Date: 18 Sep 1925; Death Date: 13 Jan 2006; Claim Date: 26 Dec 1967.
8. ↑ Military: "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010"
   Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Page number: 1
   Ancestry Record 2441 #11551289
   Name: Cleophus W Valentine; Gender: Male; Birth Date: 18 Sep 1925; Death Date: 13 Jan 2006; Enlistment Branch: ARMY; Enlistment Date: 27 Dec 1943; Discharge Date: 13 Jul 1946; Enlistment Branch 1: AF; Enlistment Date 1: 1 Sep 1947; Discharge Date 1: 11 Mar 1958.
9. ↑ Find A Grave, memorial page for Cleophus Walter Valentine (18 Sep 1925–13 Jan 2006), Find A Grave: Memorial #101203937, citing Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA
10. ↑ Cleophus Walter Valentine in the U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019, National Cemetery Administration; U.S. Veterans' Gravesites, Ancestry Record 8750 #6583168
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/101203929/bernice-maxine-valentine: accessed 11 November 2022), memorial page for Bernice Maxine Valentine (25 Jul 1930–12 Feb 2012), Find A Grave: Memorial #101203929, citing Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA; Maintained by PIN (contributor 47281994) .

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7MB-S21), Cleopus Valentine in household of Jacob Robinson, Detroit (Districts 0001-0250), Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 82, sheet 12B, line 98, family 17, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1034; FHL microfilm 2,340,769.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHMG-3GQ : 10 January 2021), Cleophus Valentine in household of Sam Valentine, Detroit Ward 3, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84-137, sheet 10B, line 44, family 176, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1843.
• United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: 5636; Sheet Number: 13; Enumeration District: 85-1933, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FSR-6H1G
• Captain C W Valentine Assigned to Mats Group at McChord AFB, The Detroit Tribune, Saturday, Oct 04, 1958, Detroit, MI, Vol: 36. Page: 8