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 Major
Clarence Ludwig Solander,
(1917-1997)  was born on
the 12 August 1917 in
Iron River, Michigan - the son of the late Nils August and Clara
(Larson) Solander. He grew up in
Stambaugh,
Michigan and graduated from Stambaugh
High School in 1935. He first worked for the Proksch Lumber Company and then
attended Hillsdale College in Hillsdale from 1940 where he played football
and basketball. Afterwards, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on the 06 January 1942 at
Ft. Custer, Michigan. He served as a flying instructor in Greenville,
Mississippi. Lieutenant Solander joined the 2nd Emergency Rescue
Squadron in February 1944, and shortly afterward, on the 15 March 1944 he
married the former Gladys Anderson in Gulfport, Mississippi. They had four
(4) children; Christine (1946), Joan (1948), Dwight "Dick" (1950), and Don
(1954). Soon after, in April 1944, the unit was moved en mass to Hamilton
Field, California, where they prepared the aircraft for the marathon trip to
the Pacific. After receiving orders "Solie" flew as Pilot on OA-10A,
44-33877 [Orders] from Sacramento,
California over the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to Hawaii, then continued
to
Townsville,
Australia. The rest of his crew consisted of: (Co-pilot) 1st Lieutenant
Wayne L. Schandelmeier, (Navigator) 2nd Lieutenant
Robert A. Booth, (Engineer)
Sergeant Mark M. Rose, (Radio) Corporal Hyman Hymowitz, (Radar Opr.)
Sergenat Verneil Roach. While stationed with the 2nd Emergency his
awards
and decorations included the,
Air Medal (w/5OLC),
World War II Victory Medal, and
the Asicatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
(1 battle star),
Army Commendation Medal,
American Campaign Medal. He
served overseas in the following campaigns: New Guinea, Western Pacific,
Luzon, Southern Philippines (Lib), and China. He was honorably discharged in 1945 at the rank of
Captain, and was promoted to Major on the 22 April 1946.
 fter
the war, he returned to the local area and the couple made their home in
Stambaugh. He resumed working for the Proksch Lumber Co. and in 1948 started
his own business known as Ottawa Builders Supply. He also was employed in
sales for the Guy Gustafson Farm Equipment Co. and for Al Begin
Construction. From 1958 to 1969 he worked for the Hanna Mining Company as a
trammer foreman and safety engineer helper. He then worked as an insurance
agent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company from 1969 to 1975. Active
in community affairs, he served as the acting director of the Senior Citizen
Council on Aging from 1975 to 1980. He was currently serving on the
Stambaugh City Commission and had been a former mayor. He also served on the
Sewer Authority Board and had been a former member of the Stambaugh High
School Board of Education. He was an active member of the Grace Covenant
Church in Stambaugh, having served on the church board, taught Sunday school
and was a Sunday school superintendent, sang in the church choir, and served
on various other church committees. He had also been a former high school
football and basketball referee.
"Solie" passed away on the 24 January 1997 in
Stambaugh, Michigan. He is buried
in Stambaugh Cemetery. His loving bride
Gladys passed away in 2005 and is buried next to him.
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